A commissioned weaving

 

Last fall, Tara was asked to do a commission weaving for a Pentecostal Liturgical Stole. There were some sizes given (width, length, etc.) as well as preferred colours and style and the rest was up to Tara.

Tara worked on this at the studio over many weeks – setting up the warp, choosing colours and doing the intricate weaving. She ended up doing two sections – one for the long sides and another for the back neck piece which was to be narrower. It was wonderful to watch this stole evolve and the results are stunning.

The full stole…

 

A close up…

 

And a detail of the back of the neck. This section is a combination of a cross and a sun done with an inlay and embroidery technique…

 

She and I were able to go together to present it to the recipient – who loved it. She is giving it as a gift to someone who will be graduating from Theological College.

Congratulations Tara!

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

 

 

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SAORI Kai

Last week I hosted a SAORI Kai at Knotty by Nature in Victoria…

 

It has been a long time since we’ve had a kai and it was great to see everyone, share our weaving and be inspired by each other.

I was so excited I forgot to take photos of most of it and so missed many of the lovely pieces!

Here is the ‘firebird’ warp that I made, woven by Tara…being discussed by Eve, with Lynn in the photo in her wonderful boat neck top…

 

An amazing find by Jean – she was at a Thrift shop and found this yellow SAORI dress that we all think must have been made in Japan. I wonder what the story behind it is? It now has a home where it is treasured…

 

Tara’s Cirque de Soleil jacket …

 

Looking at fabric…

 

Marie shared a lot of what she has been working on, including upcycling sweaters, making bags and more. I missed photos of all of her work, but here is a photo of her…

 

She now has an ETSY shop where you can see some of her work – and buy it too!

I love to see what people have been working on and hear the stories behind them. Two new weavers were at the Kai and it was great to hear about their experiences with SAORI weaving. Claudia (Claudia’s images) was also there. Catherine Mick – also known as the Rag Lady – brought some things she has woven from kilts – repurposed into beautiful weaving and clothing.

So much fun and inspiration!

Thanks to all who were able to come. We’ll have another in a couple of months – dates tba.

Back to Salt Spring in the fog. Fulford….

 

Mt. Maxwell…

 

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

 

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WWW Weaving with organic cotton

 

I have been working on some pieces in a series called “Organica” – all on organic cotton pre-wound warps with organic cotton weft.

My latest weaving was trying out the w-w-w way of weaving (#5 on page 84 of the SAORI Self Innovation book)…

This style of weaving can be used to add some great texture to your weaving…

 

 

If you do the w-w-w each row, the cool thing is that since there is so much extra weft in each row, once the weaving is off the loom you can stretch it out to the sides…

 

This warp was 22 cm at the reed, once it came off the loom, it’s natural relaxation with the extra weft was 33 cm…

 

 

Once it was stretched out, it was 55 cm…

 

It makes a lovely random lacey effect…

 

and looks wonderful in a window…

 

It takes a long time to weave, as each row requires manipulation of the weft yarn. Once I got into the rhythm of it, I enjoyed it though and it was so much fun after to see how it would turn out!!!

Next, to wash it and see what that does to it!

Note to self – textured yarns make it more difficult to stretch it out…

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

 

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A Christmas Day Walk

 

Yesterday we had a lovely and quiet day. Lots of phone calls to and from family and dear friends near & far.

We decided to take a thermos of tea and some Christmas goodies and go for a walk to enjoy our beautiful island. We chose the Burgoyne Bay walk. Here are the boats in the bay…

The walk is an easy and beautiful path…

along the water…

Life on the island!

Happy Holidays and Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

 

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SAORI Red Boat Necked Top

A Red SAORI top…

 

Just in time for Christmas…

Lynn came by last week and we always have fun doing a show and tell (a mini SAORI Kai!). Lynn brought a fabulous new top that she made…

SAORI Boat neck top

I loved the colours, of course, and it was so comfortable to wear that I didn’t want to give it back. Well, the next best thing was examining how she made it, and with her help and hints making one of my own!

I just happened to have this fabric that last year had been hanging in my house – now ready for some clothing 🙂

Dreaming of Peru SAORI Cloth

The pattern is from the Self Innovation book and is very easy to make. My fabric was narrower than the pattern called for, so I cut one length of fabric down the middle lengthwise and added it to the edge of the fabric to make it wider before beginning the construction.

Front….

SAORI Red Boat Necked Top

Back….

Red SAORI top

SAORI Top

Ready for Christmas! – or anything!!

SAORI Clothing Design

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca

SAORI Salt Spring Island

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The story behind the picture…

Yesterday, I posted this photo on Facebook:

Here’s the rest of the story…

I had finished weaving a piece this summer and it has been waiting to be made into something. Yesterday was the day!! I had an idea to make a shawl/jacket based on the pattern in the “blue” SAORI clothing design book – pattern # 28.

I measured my weaving and it was approximately the same width and the exact length – go figure! So I got started and made a few modifications to the design as I put it together.

When I was finished, I asked Alan to take some photos. I don’t like having my photo taken at the best of times – but it didn’t work on the dress form, so here I am modelling it.

With the large collar down….

With the large collar back…

With the large collar up as a hood….

With it rolled into a bulky collar…

From the back…

And then when I got tired of modelling (you know, where to put your hands? where to look? how to stand? – a model I’m not!), I jumped up in the air…Alan kept taking photos and so that’s how we got the photo that I posted yesterday.

Today, I found a few more ways to wear it. What to call it – a tunic, a shawl, a jacket, a vest – it is all of these….

And….so simple to construct…

Just 3 pieces sewn together along the selvedge edges with holes left for the arms!

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca

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Blossom Festival

Yesterday was the Blossom Festival on Salt Spring Island and
a picnic in the Japanese Garden.

Blossoms!

Blossoms!

Japanese Garden at the Peace Park, Salt Spring Island

Japanese Garden at the Peace Park, Salt Spring Island

I prepared my loom with a “blossom warp” using the colours of cherry blossoms and some spring green.

Blossom Warp

Blossom Warp

At the event there were many Japanese things to see, do and listen to – calligraphy, haiku, music, aikido demonstrations, bento boxes, beautiful plants for sale
and of course SAORI weaving!

Raffi and others sing "Haru ga Kita"

Raffi and others sing “Haru ga Kita”

Okinawan Karate Dance

Okinawan Karate Dance

calligraphy

calligraphy

I had a lot of people come by to learn more about SAORI weaving and to try it out by adding to the Blossom Banner.

Weaving the blossom banner

Weaving the blossom banner

Weaving the blossom banner

Weaving the blossom banner

It was so great to be out again and sharing the joy of weaving with others!

The SAORI and Calligraphy tent

The SAORI and Calligraphy tent

Here is what has been done so far. I’m hoping to take the loom back out
to the Earth Day festival and have more people weaving.

The blossom banner so far

The blossom banner so far

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.ca

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SAORI Baby Blanket

Custom warp

Last week I enjoyed making a custom warp.

Tanya asked if I could make a warp for her based on a basket of yarns that she has. She wants to make a baby blanket for a friend. She asked for a wide, approximately 5 metre long warp, that is ‘stripe-y’. Yarns should be suitable for a baby blanket and be based on, but not limited to, the colours in her basket of yarns.

Here’s the basket of beautiful yarns…

So I made a warp in all cottons (her yarns are bamboo and cotton).
It is 240 threads wide and 5.5 metres long.

Here is the warp…

SAORI Baby Blanket

It was fun to make! I have asked Tanya if she could take a picture once it is on her loom and then the finished blanket as it will be fun to see the whole collaborative process.

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca

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Tara’s Warp

Making a warp

From a basket of colours….

To a warp wound…

To the loom….

I’m looking forward to seeing the weaving!

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

 

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SAORI Blue Bag

SAORI Weaving and Denim bag

As you may know from reading many of my posts – I LOVE the colour blue! So, no surprise, I had a piece of SAORI woven cloth that was mainly blues. I had been experimenting with Saori-style log cabin when working on this weaving.

SAORI Blue Bag

I have wanted to make a new bag for a while now – and had an idea one day when I was at our local thrift store. There was a pair of jeans for $1.00. The legs and hems were not in good shape.

So I bought them, washed them, sewed across the top of the legs then cut the legs off and turned them inside out.

Then, I took my cloth…

…sewed it into a tube the same width as the hips of the jeans, leaving the fringe end out. Then I sewed across the bottom (right sides together) and turned it right side out. I then took the jeans and put them inside the woven bag – this became the lining – complete with pockets!

Next I pulled on the threads at the top of the bag to gather it in a bit as the waist of the jeans was narrower than the hips. Then I sewed around the top of the jeans and weaving together to complete the bag.

SAORI Blue Bag

I have used a woven belt as the gathering and the handle too, by putting it through the belt loops.

So easy – I’m so pleased!

Happy Weaving,
Terri

PS – Next time I’ll try to remember to take step-by-step photos!

My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca

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