Bryan showed us some wonderful pieces that he has woven
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
To Weave or Not to Weave
One of the many textile techniques we explored in Japan was weaving. Although I look smiley here
I have to say I don't think I'll be taking this up. Jean (a very experienced weaver and an indigo sister) helped me to create a piece of cloth of which I am proud:
I love that I have created fabric but the process was noisy and lonely - you can't sit and chat while working a loom. I also couldn't help but think of the industrialised process in our "dark, satanic mills" and all those small children working beneath the looms. I think Bryan intended that we should make small bags with our woven pieces but none of us wanted to cut into them after all the work. I think most will become small table runners or display mats instead.
Bryan showed us some wonderful pieces that he has woven
and Jean's own blog has some lovely examples of her work (including gorgeous pieces that she wove and made into needlecases as gifts for us and some freer pieces that she made into flower design brooches) but I think I'll still pass on this one.
Bryan showed us some wonderful pieces that he has woven
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beautiful woven cloth. i recognize the bottom piece as something similar in Bryan's banner on his blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree it would be hard to cut up something you have taken that much effort to produce.
ReplyDeleteWow, they look beautiful, love the texture. But they also look like a lot of work, it will look lovely as a runner!
ReplyDeleteI can't cut mine up either. I actually like weaving and was surprised how easy it goes together without snapped the bamboo pins a couple of times. I agree with you about the noise and loneliness - Hugs Nat
ReplyDeleteLove the last piece - it looks like a proper piece of zanshi ori (leftover thread weaving). I bought a large old piece of this stuff to cut up for patchwork, but then didn't have the heart to do it either :-)
ReplyDeleteWeaving is not for me either, but there is a certain magic in the hand woven piece that we made. I said : 'never again' yet I am looking at the unused little loom that I have in my study and found myself thinking: 'maybe...'.
ReplyDeleteCame over from Nat's blog and just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your posts and photos about the Japanese tour. Wow! what an experience! and so much fun!
ReplyDeletebest from Tunisia,
nadia
Entirely agree, Lis. I don't think I'm going to become a weaver anytime soon. I sure admire Jean's work which is so beautiful. I also feel the weight of history behind women providing essential apparel for thousands of years (especially in cold countries!). It's something only modern women have rarely done. We slogged away on the same loom and you're right, I don't want to cut mine up.Hafta think carefully about it.
ReplyDeleteI truly respect the patience and skill of people like Jean and Bryan who willingly and with great pleasure take on the weaving process. The results are quite stunning but
ReplyDeleteIke you it is not for me. I am pleased that we all persevered and finished a small piece and am pleased that Bryan made it easy for us by preparing e warps for us