My study trip to Japan was great and I learnt so much. First stop was Saori no Mori, Saori head office studio in Osaka, where I felt  at home and in familiar surroundings as I’ve been there before. I noticed that although some things remained the same there was a distinct and exciting development in the clothing designs and some of the approaches to setting up the looms and weaving.

I went through the whole warping process under Kenzo Jo’s tutelage and beamed the most perfect warp of my life! No snags or tension problems. This was probably because the warp of 250 ends was wound thread by thread, the old fashioned craft way, without using the nifty and quick multiple thread warping. Yes, it took a while but I think it is worth it if you get a dream warp and beaming. The main reason for this is the constant quest for irregularity. The multiple thread warping method always leans towards a regularity in the warping colours/textures. The single thread changes makes it far easier to create irregularity in changing threads randomly in the warping process.

I also fine tuned my warping on the Saori warping frame. The frame has angled pegs unlike other warping frames. This could be a tension problem if you warp in the conventional manner. The trick is to always place the warping round about 1cm from the top of the peg. Previous rounds can be pushed down the pegs and they will loose that tensioned look but if the warp is always wound 1 cm from the top of the peg it will be evenly tensioned throughout.

Many of these tips taught by Kenzo Jo seem very obvious but seeing him do it makes sense out of it all. One weave that I experimented with was the clasped weft using two shuttles but producing multiple colour shadings, similar to a four colour clasped weft but less structured in look. A really lovely extension of the general clasped weft technique. Probably the best way of integrating gradient shading within the weft.

I also learnt more direct spinning on the loom techniques and using super loose tensioning on some introduced warp threads. These were also a way of learning just how irregularity can enhance the cloth as I tend towards a regularity once I’m in ‘the zone’ and weaving away.

You’ll also see an image of the studio waiting for the many day visitors with Masako in the most wonderful dress. She really is the most amazing designer that I have had the privilege to meet. She can fashion any textile into a masterpiece of wearable design. The dress she has on takes full advantage of stretch yarns. And incidentally, a special stretch yarn has been developed by Kenzo Jo for warping. It is stable for warping but releases its full elasticity when washed. Not available for sale yet…but hopefully it will be.

Masako lead a group of weavers who were weaving to a theme of puckered/felted cloth over the month. She then designed a unique garment for each of them based on the best irregular features of their cloth. All is interesting, all can be used. All of the woven textiles were very creatively woven and beautiful.

Next stop was study at the Kawashima Textile School. More precision and exactness in preparation and on the loom but still inviting a creative approach to the design process.