December 29, 2019

FBD RYERSON invites you to help celebrate FBD’s 15th anniversary!! Make an impact this year at FORUM 2019 by participating in this collaborative project among architecture students from around the world. 

Join the battle to fight the cold that Toronto suffers through every year and help create blankets to donate to local charities that strive to bring warmth to those in need. To participate, you will need to bring any pieces of fabric to tie with others in order to make the blankets. It is encouraged to bring fabrics that represent you, your chapter, and your city. 

Be sure to read the instructions on how to prepare your fabric before FORUM, as well as what methods we will use to tie them at FORUM. FBD RYERSON thanks you for taking your time to help make a difference! We’ll be at a booth in the Student Lounge everyday during FORUM; stop by with your fabric, plus we’ll have fabric of our own for you to help tie together! Follow us and check out our instagram @fbdryerson to learn more about the project.

Preparing your fabric – what to have before you arrive at FORUM:

Step 1

  • Grab fabric
    • Request from local stores
    • Collect donations from students/faculty/community members
    • Use old clothes
    • Represent your city! Find fabric with prints and logos that show you off!
  • Fabrics to use
    • Fleece, cotton, and polyester
    • Keep in mind that fleece does not fray, and will not require treatment
    • If you choose to collect the other types listed below, the edges need to be treated:
      • Cotton, polyester, wool, acrylic
    • Not accepted:
      • Silk, cashmere, spandex, linen, etc.

Step 2 (Treatment if needed)

  • Polyester (any fabric that are 100% synthetic)
    • Burn the fraying edges lightly as it begins to seal itself
    • Make sure it doesn’t catch on fire!
  • Other fabrics
    • Use clear nail polish to seal over the edges, let it dry for 5-10 minutes
    • Or cut the edges using pinking shears (zigzag scissors)

Step 3

  • Cut fabric into 14×14” square (the minimum size of a swatch)
  • To go larger, you must add 10” to the existing length 
    • e.g. keep it square: 24×24”, 34×34”, 44”x44”, etc.
    • or go as a rectangle: 24×14”, 34”x 24”, 44”x14”, etc.
  • Cut a 2×2” square from each corner of the swatch (if there are multiple swatches, stack when cutting)
  • Cut 1” wide by 2” long slits from each side (fringe-like)
    • You can use a 2×1” piece (of paper, cardboard, or fabric etc) to use as a cutting guide

Step 4

  • Pack them up and see you in Toronto for FORUM 2019!

Tie your fabrics together – what to do at FORUM:

Step 1

  • Grab 2 pieces of fabric
    • Stack on top of each other
    • Make sure each slit lines up with one
  • Tie using one of the 2 methods listed:
    • double knot or double thread

Step 2 (for both double knot and double thread)

  • Take a pair of slits
    • One from fabric A and from fabric B

Step 3 (double knot)

  • Tie a basic double knot
    • Complete one side

OR Step 3 (double thread)

  • Fold the pair upwards and cut a ¼” long hole
  • Thread both ends of the slits into the hole and tug tightly
    • Complete one side

Step 4

  • Spread the fabrics, they’re connected!
    • Other sides of the fabrics may now be joined with other fabrics using above methods
    • To stay consistent
      • make sure to keep all the ‘tassels’ made from tying are on the same side every time fabric is joined

Got any questions?

Shoot FBD RYERSON an email at ryersonfbd@gmail.com