I'm so glad I went. I've been wanting to learn more about Saori weaving since I first saw Terri demonstrate it at the Salt Spring Island Fibre Fest. This workshop I took at Knotty By Nature and they host it on a regular basis.
Saori Weaving is from Japan. It is a way of weaving the moment into the cloth.
There are no rules governing what needs to be done. No structure set up ahead of time where you have to treadle 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, - repeat, and if you make a mistake and treadle 1, 2, 4, 3, 2 then you've ruined the whole thing. Saori is not like that.
We begin with a very simple, two frame loom. I say simple because it has only two treadles, two frames, which make two sheds. The device itself is a marvel of engineering. It's relatively light weight, folds up and it has a qualia of stability and warmth.
I immensely enjoyed trying out the different techniques we were shown. I'm full of all sorts of ideas of what I want to add to my future weaving projects (both structured and free form).
I wish I could say that this heart was my idea. It is the work of one of my class mates. What do you think? Can we assess a personality based on their free form weaving? I think this says, creative, free spirit.
And here's mine:
I'm not going to even attempt to read my personality in my weaving.
But I must say I do like this last technique. I can't remember what it is called, but it creates a wonderfully organic structure to the cloth.
I don't know if I could have managed the day out doing any other kind of workshop. The fact is, I found the process of Saori weaving to be ... What's the word I'm looking for? I want to say that not having to worry about structure and design, that by weaving the moment and putting myself into the cloth - this is an activity that gave me energy and calmness. It was this revitalization that sustained me through the day.
For me, the activity of weaving, absorbed my focus (sorry, words are failing me). My concentration drifted to the activity without any effort from me.
I deeply enjoyed myself.
I think that this is the kind of activity that can really help with the mental and emotional aspects of having a chronic illness.
5 comments:
Saori weaving sounds really interesting. Ever since I found out about it, a couple of years ago somewhere on the web, I've wanted to have the opportunity to give it a try. I had even looked at Knotty by Nature schedule before going to Victoria, they had one scheduled just a few days after (or was it before?) I was there. I'll have to go again! (For the workshop, and to see you too - I miss you!)
Yay! I'm so glad that you got a chance to come to a Saori workshop - I'm just sorry that I wasn't able to come to teach on Friday - but I guess you understand that. Your weaving looks great.
I hope to see you sometime at another workshop.
Happy Weaving,
Terri
thanks for the information on saori weaving. I saw it offered at a local fiber fest but was unable to attend. The pictures really help explain the "free to be whatever you want" aspect better than the class description that was included from the fest
Your weaving looks like a tapestry, which is a mix of all sorts of different colors and textures. I think it means you are complex, and march to a different drummer. A very unique person =)
I'm looking forward to the next update.
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