Browsing by study line "Käsityönopettaja"

The purpose of this user-centered design-based research was to redesign wedding dress, which was made of recycled bedlinen and use leftover linen fabric to redesign upcycled clothes by participatory designing methods. The study approaches the apparel design challenge with Lamb and Kallal (1992) design framework, which was developed to consider the consumer’s needs. The Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetics (FEA) framework was developed to provide an overall conceptual frame for designing any type of apparel. The study explores Niinimäki and Koskinen (2011) article how an emphatic design approach could improve a sustainable design process. Also, sustainable development, slow fashion, and significance of material choices were important aspects of this study. Previous studies have addressed the impact of apparel design with special needs, but not consider redesigning upcycled clothes with recycled material, which has restrictions of fabric quantity. The research questions were ”which are the users wishes, needs and expectations for wedding dress redesign” and “which are user-based design criteria of functional, expressive and aesthetic needs” and also “does the custom made upcycled clothes meet the design criteria by user-centered experience”. User was interviewed three times. Based on the user data collection qualitative content analysis gathered the essential issues. Themes were to identify user profile and user needs for the upcycled clothes. Participatory design process includes Mattelmäki (2006) design probes, user’s picture collages of her favorite clothes, sketches, and prototypes. Conclusion of the study was how much the user appreciates the co-making process and the opportunity to change people’s values and attitudes towards slow fashion. Also, user’s expectations were fulfilled by upcycled clothes. Custom made clothes suite her well and memories were included by satisfaction. User’s idea of layering clothes offered more variety of using the upcycled linen clothes all year round.

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to untangle how companies located in the textile sector see the utilization of natural dyes on an industrial scale in the future. The research examines what kind of factors could enable and, on the other hand, challenge the utilization of natural dyes. Research from the companies' point of view has not been done before, so the companies' views provide valuable information that could benefit both ongoing research and project work as well as companies interested in utilizing natural dyes. Methods. This research was qualitative, and the research material did consist of theme interviews of five companies working in the textile sector. The companies are Natural Indigo Finland, Lappajärven Värjäämö, Lapua Kankurit, Nanso and Arela. All interviewed companies had experience of using natural dyes in their production. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis. The analysis was used content analysis program the Atlas.ti. With this a concise description of the companies' future visions was formed. Results and conclusions. The research indicated that all companies were interested in the possibilities of using natural dyes. The requirements of industrial production were partly seen as a challenge when the target was to produce uniform quality and colour-retaining textiles. Great potential was seen in utilizing consumers interest as interest in more natural textiles and production methods has grown. Consumption behavior that supports natural values is required from consumers. The higher price of products dyed with natural dyes could therefore be balanced by more thoughtful consumption. The possibilities of natural dyes in the future were seen to be stronger the closer the company was to the beginning of the production chain. These companies were already more committed to utilizing natural dyes. It was easier for a dye producer to believe in the possibilities of the future than for a textile producer who uses pre-dyed material. Cooperation in the entire value chain is important to increase the utilization of natural dyes. The textile industry needs new operators as part of the development chain of natural colours. In this way, the utilization of natural colours can be created as Finland's selling point.

Aims. Technology education in the first grades of primary school should be taught to the world of children’s experience because experiential learning has been shown to promote learning and the uptake of broad-based future skills. Creativity is utilized a lot in teaching that supports the experiential world of young children. Only little research has been done on the utilization of creativity in first-grade technology education in primary school. The aim of this study is to raise awareness of creative technology, education in the first grades of primary school and open up creative activities in technology dimensions. The aim of the study was to get an overview of creative technology education process and the occurrence of technology dimensions during that process. Methods. The research material was collected in the spring of 2021 during a project aimed at all first-graders in Finland. The project called Tämä Toimii! is developed by the Technology industry (2020). One class of 19 students and a teacher participated in this study. The class was from a medium-sized school in a medium-sized city of Kymenlaakso. The research material was collected using the teacher's notes, the researcher's direct observation and video recordings. The material was analyzed using the electronic Atlas.ti qualitative material content analysis program. Results and conclusions. The research results were presented using a Process-Rug analysis. A technology education project aimed at the first grades of primary school promoted the technological knowledge and skills of young pupils. As a result students developed a wide range of future skills. The technology dimensions were strongly present throughout the entity. Based on the research results, creative technology education that supports the world of experience and includes technological dimensions promotes the development of wide-ranging skills of young students.

A swatch has an important role to make knitting process successful. You have to con-trol a yarn tension well to shape a knitting density and keep it stay as stable as possible throughout a whole knitting process. Basically, in a yarn band they have informing a good knitting density to the yarn and the needles which are suitable to it. But is it possible to get knitting density staying just the same like every time? This is a trouble of this study, and in supporting of study is formed a question: In which ways the yarn tension and knitting density changes will influence to differences of loop tension and course tension, and how these differences will be diverging the information of knitting density of the yarn band? The purpose of this study was to research to two the most important measuring parameters: the yarn tension and knitting density. This study was carried out as a quasi-experimental study. The material of this study has included 240 swatches, which have knitted by a researcher herself. Swatches were knitted from different yarn ma-terials and thickness of yarns varied. The sizes of needles were primally chosen ac-cording to recommended for yarn bands. But there were some cases too when the choice didn't follow recommended needle sizes. A colour code meter was built for this study and it included eight different colour codes. Via swatches, the effects of yarn tension in the formation of knitting density were analysed, and the results were also closely compared with the yarn bands. On the grounds of results on this study you can not to control yarn tension perfectly. Because there are lots of different variable factors, which will influence more or less to the knitting process, yarn tension will change every time. Also, the different knitting sur-faces affect the fact that the knitting density of the swatch is different from that of the yarn band’s knitting density. For this reason, the model swatch is very important to knit to make sure of the correct knitting density and to achieve what will aiming through knit-ting.

Sustainable development and the consumption of textiles have been a source of debate for years among researchers and consumers. In 2022, the EU announced a textile strategy as part of the circular economy package. The textile strategy aims to make the textile sector more sustainable by making it more climate-neutral, energy-efficient and resource-efficient and respectful of nature. The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Reuse Centre is one of the operators that recycles textiles. For these reasons, I was interested in studying the use of recycled handicraft material. My research explains the reasons why materials are purchased, recycling handicrafts are manufactured and what the manufactured products are. This study also investigates whether the material acquired affects the ideas of the products. The investigation was conducted by means of a questionnaire. The research form was distributed to Käsitys Ry's WhatsApp and Facebook wall as well as to the Facebook and Instagram pages of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Reuse Centre. I also asked customers at Nihtisilta's store to answer my questionnaire for three days. 106 recycling handicrafts makers were involved in the study. The answers to the data were analysed using data-based content analysis and 99 responses were found in the analysis. The Atlas.ti program was used to support the analysis. The result of the purchase decision was 13 different reasons. These reasons have a cross-substantial effect on the purchase decision. The main categories created are 1. Reasons for visiting the recycling centre, 2. Reasons for the impulse purchase and 3. Meanings of recycling materials. The most manufactured recycling handicrafts are interior decoration and utility goods. Other manufactured recycling handicrafts include clothing, accessories, knitted works, repairs and revamping, crafts, jewellery, toys and parts of them, dollhouse building, prototypes and schoolwork’s. The materials used in recycling handicrafts were sewing accessories, fabrics, craft accessories, knitting and crochet yarns, metal goods, tools, clothing, jeans, leather, fur and other accessories. Recycling handicrafts are manufactured for the following reasons: Doing handicrafts, repairing or revamping, producing gifts or products for relatives, inspiration that is influenced by the found material, need, editing of purchased material and manufacturing for sale.

The school has a significant impact on the development of a child’s self-efficacy that is linked to cognitive abilities (Bandura, 1997). A child’s self-image as a student as well as a person is built through self-efficacy (opetussuunnitelma, 2014, s. 47). Self-efficacy is a concept created by Albert Bandura which means an individual’s belief of their own ability to cope with various situations and has been found to have a broad impact on an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and actions. Recurring failures at school can diminish self-efficacy and have a negative impact on both schooling as well as coping later in life, hence the school has a significant role in the development of a student’s self-efficacy. Therefore, attention should be paid to supporting it. Here the teachers are crucial as they work closely with the students, promoting their learning and participation. The aim of the study is to review teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy and its impact on a student’s schooling and coping later in life as well as examining, whether these perceptions are in line with the current research. In addition, the study aims to find out, how the teachers perceive their own ability to support the self-efficacy of their students as well as the pedagogic methods used by the teachers to accomplish this and if the methods used have been proven to be effective in the studies. The data of the study was collected via thematic interviews conducted in the autumn of 2020. Four teachers of varied backgrounds were selected as interviewees. The interviews were carried out remotely due to the prevalent COVID-19 situation. The collected data was transcribed, and qualitative content analysis was chosen as the methodological approach. Thematic analysis was also used in reviewing the data of the study. According to the results, the teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy were well in line with the current research. Self-efficacy was seen as a significant factor for children’s and young people’s study motivation, development of self-esteem, and overall coping in life. For those reasons, supporting self-efficacy was seen as important. Teachers’ ability to support a student’s self-efficacy was experienced to be relatively good. The ability was positively influenced by the teacher’s sensitivity to recognize the student’s emotional states and building a good interrelationship with the student. The ability was negatively influenced by a lack of know-how of how to support students in need as well as external factors such as lack of time, large class sizes, and student amounts. The pedagogic methods used by the teachers were diverse and according to the study also supportive in regards to a student’s self-efficacy.

The aim of this study was to examine the dyeing properties of dried nettle stems and evaluate the color fastness. The purpose is to find out the possibilities of nettle dyeing on a larger scale. This study contributes to the larger BioColour project, which seeks to develop a comprehensive palette of natural dyes. Nettle has been traditionally utilized in the fiber industry. It is also widely acknowledged for its therapeutic qualities, having demonstrated efficacy in treating anemia and burns. Furthermore, nettle is acknowledged for its high nutritional value; however, research regarding its use in dyeing remains scarce. Ensuring the Earth maintains its carrying capacity requires prioritizing sustainable development and circular economy goals. As a key step towards this, developing less toxic dyes to replace the ones that threaten the environment and human health is imperative. The current study was framed as an experimental investigation, wherein stem extracts from the nettle plant were utilized to create dye baths for colouring a variety of textiles such as cotton, bamboo, and wool. Before the dyeing process, the fabric samples were subjected to pre-treatment using both organic and synthetic tannins, iron, and alum. Furthermore, a subset of samples was left untreated to assess the impact of different pre-treatments on resultant colour vibrancy and resilience. After dyeing, the samples were subjected to standard colour-fastness assessments, including colour-fastness tests for washing, rubbing, and light, and were also visually evaluated using a grayscale. Additionally, colour measurements were captured using a CIELAB colour measuring device, and the acquired data were analysed and interpreted using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Various shades of light colors were successfully produced using cotton and bamboo viscose alongside nettle. However, the merino wool displayed a darker shade. The samples with iron mordant, organic, or synthetic tannin mordant, resulted in significantly deeper color than those treated with 0-mordant and alum. Remarkably, in the washing fastness test, colors remained well preserved with commercial detergent compared to the standard variant. Similarly, abrasion fastness yielded favorable results, except wet rubbing on wool. In contrast, lightfastness testing revealed the least favorable outcome for samples with 0-mordant and alum. The study highlights the prospective value of using natural dyes for nettle dyeing.

Aims and objectives. The aim of the study is to analyze the means of verbal and non-verbal guidance used by teachers in guiding invention projects and to investigate how these methods supported students' creativity skills. Methods. The study utilized video material collected as part of the Growing Mind research project, totaling approximately 19 hours from primary school craft lessons. The research data examined interactions between a group of four students and teachers during the invention project. The video material was analyzed using a three-level analysis approach, starting with macro-level analysis. Situations where the teacher guided the student group (134 pcs) were selected from the video material and annotated using the ELAN program, utilizing the making-process-rug method and the notes of a previous researcher on the same data. At the intermediate level, the marked situations were classified into verbal and non-verbal guidance methods using a previously developed classification framework. At the micro-level, three exemplary situations were selected for in-depth analysis of the teacher's guidance methods in support of students' creativity skills. Results and Conclusions. The results indicated that the teacher's verbal guidance methods were particularly evident during the initial ideation phase, troubleshooting and problem-solving situations, and situations requiring redefinition of ideas during the invention project. Non-verbal guidance methods were emphasized when guiding students in digital components, materials, and technical work processes. Verbal and non-verbal guidance methods were also observed to overlap and complement each other. Micro-level analysis showed that the teacher supported students' practical-level expertise in creativity skills by making design-related constraints and opportunities visible during ideation. For social and emotional creativity skills, the teacher organized the process by guiding students to collaborate with their peers in problem-solving related to programming. In supporting creative and critical thinking skills, the teacher assisted students in situations where the original idea needed to be questioned and redefined. A teacher who masters various roles, skills, and expertise can, through their guidance, act as an important supporter of students' creative competencies, thus helping them grow into creatively and critically thinking individuals. These skills are increasingly needed in both the current society and in the future.

Objectives. Sustainability education is part of the curriculum, so every teacher should implement sustainable development education, accordingly, integrating it into different subjects. With regard to crafts, sustainable education appears in materials, among other things. The aim of this study was to find out what kind of attitudes primary school craft teachers have about sustainable development teaching and how craft teachers perceive the importance of different areas of sustainable development. The study also wants to find out whether any of the teacher's background information has a connection or difference to attitudes towards the teaching of sustainable development or the importance of sustainable development. Methods. The material for the study was a questionnaire based on Fennema and Sherman’s attitude statements, collected from primary school teachers who teach crafts at either elementary or high school, or both. The survey was collected in February 2021 and respondents to the survey were received via social media and email. A total of 50 teachers responded to the survey. The data were analyzed using quantitative methods, of which the statistical connection between teachers' background information and attitudes and importance of sustainability were examined by looking at correlation coefficients. Statistical differences were examined by t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results and conclusions. The attitudes of craft teachers towards teaching sustainable development were mostly positive and they also saw sustainable development as an important topic in school. A connection between teachers' attitudes and background information was found regarding the number of students in the school. The bigger the school was where teachers worked in, the more positive they were about the meaningfulness of sustainable teaching. The differences between related background information, and education for sustainable development and gender attitudes found with regard to age. Women's attitudes towards education for sustainability and the importance of sustainable development were more positive than men's. Teacher’s age had an effect on the self-efficacy of sustainability education and older teachers were more confident about sustainable education. As craft is a material subject, it will certainly facilitate the implementation of sustainable development education, which will also have a more positive attitude towards the topic.

In the most recent national core curriculum for basic education, which came into effect in 2016, the concept of programming is mentioned for first time – for instance, as a part of the objectives of crafts. The goal of this research is to find out which factors influence the way craft teachers in basic education use the tools and softwares of programming and robotics in their teaching. The goal of this research is also to find out how the teachers view their own competence in teaching the aforementioned devices and tools. Previous studies have shown that for instance the teacher’s age and gender have influenced teachers’ competence regarding technology. This multi-method research was conducted as a part of the Growing Mind project. The data consisted of the responses from two semi-structured surveys that were developed in the project. Considering the focus of this research, only the responses of teachers teaching crafts (n=27) were chosen for the present study. The qualitative data was acquired through focused theme interviews (n=4), three of which were conducted via remote video connection and one with email. The data was analyzed and categorizedinto themes in accordance with the research questions. Pearson’s correlation analysis was conducted for the quantitative data to detect possible correlations. The analyses of the data indicated that the teachers have various kinds of experiences of the tools of programming and robotics in their teaching because some of them used those tools all the time and some had never even tested them. However, the teachers who used these tools and programs used them in a versatile way. The craft teachers’ own competence to use these devices varied: some of the teachers thought they were very competent, while some thought they did not have any competence. This also influenced in how often the teacher taught these things for others. In addition to teacher’s competence, other factors such as the work community of the school, resources and the perceived lack of time could have effects on the teaching of programming. The correlation analysis showed that male craft teachers had more competence in programming and building robots and smart products than female craft teachers, and therefore male teachers guided pupils in these things more often.