Saori in Tasmania – Hobart

The Hobart workshop was hosted Joy (and John) Rees of Nandroya Vineyard. They make Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc wines which really go well with weaving! Again I couldn’t have dreamed up the hospitality I received and can’t thank everyone enough. As the workshop was held in Joy’s weaving studio it enhanced our connection to the long tradition of handweaving, being in the space of a very skilled weaver. The warm room had nice light and a huge weavers bookshelf.  I could have been there for years. We had a mix of looms including a total of five Saori looms. Rigid heddle and other floor looms were also there. But mostly I encountered the beautiful Lotas looms which were made in Tasmania previously. They are Jack style 4-8 shaft looms and some are very compact and can fold up to some degree.

The Saori looms are certainly very productive as far as time to weave longer lengths and Mieke wove her hanspuns into a very long length which had to be caught to relieve the bulk build up on the cloth beam. So handy because you  can wear your cloth while you are weaving it!

The range of experience of the weavers were very beginners to very experienced. They all experimented with the opportunity to work freely and unfettered by constrictions. To create a cloth in their own way without a formulated pattern. Weaving is the greatest craft in the history of humans (not an overstatement I’m sure) and all styles and approaches are curious and absorbing paths to cloth.

This workshop is also hosted by the Handweavers, Spinners and Dyers of Tasmania and more photos can be seen here.  Special thanks to Joy and John Rees for their hospitality and Valeri  for special assistance. Thank you so much to all of the weavers who attended.

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