I’ve probably posted about the joy of being a beginner here before but I’ve realised that they can have such an advantage in SAORI weaving because of their innocence perhaps.

My number one beginner is actually my husband Dave. After a lifetime of living with a curiouweaver it was SAORI in Japan and a lack of surfing venues that triggered his foray into weaving. (Albeit one that doesn’t continue here in Oz.) His experience is played out many times in the SAORI weaving world and it never ceases to amaze me! I’ve tried to engage his skills as a full time weaver in the studio but I wasn’t successful.

I like SAORI inspired weaving for a number of reasons.

Driving the loom is quite simple. The counterbalanced system is one of the best for two shaft weaving as it works on simple gravity and isn’t heavy on the body. This makes our loom as a tool match the simplicity of the plain weave that we mainly work with.

It is a very accessible weaving approach and invites very new weavers to leave some of the ‘rules’ of handweaving in more traditional balanced woven cloth to one side and just weave. Weaving is explored before learning to warp the loom instead of learning to warp first. In the video below Dave just got on the loom and wove.

This broad accessibility offer is to all humans with our range of abilities and life experiences. SAORI weaving invites inclusion and has many tools to make this happen. As a modest example, Dave below is using the beater bar as he finds it helps with his back over longer periods of weaving.

A focus of SAORI weaving is weaving cloth for clothing. The SAORI loom with its foot power treadles allows longer lengths of cloth to be woven and shaped into garments easily. There is nothing like wearing your own handwoven cloth.

Whilst I’m personally still drawn to the idea of complex drafts and puzzles in handweaving and crazy about the history of humans in weaving around the world, I am always taken back by what the mind, intellect and heart of the beginner can create. I find that my weaving becomes somewhat locked down and stilted at times and seeing the free approach of the beginner unlocks some of that and gives me renewed confidence.

Beginning anything can be daunting but there are so many seeds of hope and expectation within a new adventure. SAORI weaving or any type of handweaving can enter your life like this, as it did mine so long ago!

The fabric above was woven in a mix of cotton and wool and I overdid the finishing process which created a great wonky cloth for the bias design.

The fabric above was woven over several days and Dave got a bit bored with the texture techniques and went with stripes. But they are wonderful in the winter garment.

Just keep weaving!

I have vacancies in my second Wave ~ Cut ~ Stitch and Shape Online session on 23 October, 2021 – 3:30pm – 4:45pm AEDT. Sorry but only for those who live in Australia, due to contractual agreements with SAORI Japan.

This is a beginners session covering how to stitch seams for the cloth, two designs from the Beginners clothing book and how to adapt sizes for fit. Also more ideas on how to construct interesting clothing with a Japanese inspired aesthetic. The session will be recorded. This sesssion has ended (Nov 2021)

Sydney Royal Easter Show

If you live in Sydney please keep the Royal show in mind as they now have a SAORI section in their handweaving competition. I’m sure a beginner will win!