Tapestry Weaving, Uncategorized
Saori-Inspired Weaving On a Mirrix
Tapestry weaving has a lot of rules. These rules are very important and help to define the art. That said, sometimes you don’t want rules when you weave. Sometimes you want to just let the weft guide you. This is where Saori®-inspired weaving comes in.
Saori® Weaving is a type of free-form weaving done on Saori® looms. For more on Saori weaving, go here.
To learn more about weaving inspired by Saori® on a Mirrix, I asked Mirrix customer Marilou Johnstone a few questions about her experiences doing so!
How long have you been weaving?
Marilou: Off and on for 30 years. Longer if you count the wonderful pot holder loom of my childhood.
How long have you been weaving Saori®-inspired pieces on a Mirrix?
Marilou: months ago I stumbled upon a Ravelry Saori® group. It was love at first sight.
How would you explain Saori® weaving to someone who hasn’t woven it?
Marilou: For me it is weaving with my spirt instead of my brain. There are no should, must do, can’t do, never do rules. I weave free. What comes off the loom is what is supposed to come off the loom. My first piece was done on a peg loom. I wove for the shear joy of weaving.
Have you woven Saori®-inspired pieces on a loom other than the Mirrix? If so, what are the differences you have found? Why did you choose to weave on a Mirrix?
Marilou: I have used a floor loom and a peg loom. Using the Mirrix for Saori®-inspired weaving was one of those “what if…?” things. I liked using the Little Guy because its vertical and portable. I wove most of the piece en plein air. I discovered that I really like to weave standing. The outstanding feature of the Mirrix is the ability to add in beads so easily. The beauty of Saori®-inspired weaving was when the magatamas didn’t behave the way I wanted them to. Rather than fuss and fume I added more magatamas and let them dangle. Mirrix and Saori®-inspired weaving complement each other well.
Why do you like Saori®-inspired weaving?
Marilou: I will quote from the book, “Saori Self-Innovation Through Free Weaving”, by Misao Jo & Kenzo Jo to best speak to this.
1) CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A MACHINE AND A HUMAN BEING.
2) BE BOLD AND ADVENTUROUS.
3) LOOK OUT THROUGH EYES THAT SHINE.
4) INSPIRE ONE ANOTHER, AND EVERYONE IN THE GROUP.
As soon as I read this I was hooked. I just knew Saori® was for me. I think it is what I have been searching for as I moved from craft to craft throughout my life. Saori is like coming home. Coming full circle in my fiber art journey.
Do you have any anecdotes about your experience with Saori®-inspired weaving on a Mirrix?
Marilou: A good friend had just passed away and I cleaned out her sewing room. I found a couple of quill stilettos. I thought one would make a nice hanger for the little piece I had planned. I wove the quill in first thing thinking that would be the top of the weaving. Throughout the entire weaving process I kept stabbing myself with the quill. To make matters worse the quill end looked more appealing at the bottom. I could have woven the quill in last.
Thanks agin to Marilou Johnstone for sharing!
Do you weave Saori® on a Saori® loom or do Saori®-inspired weaving on a Mirrix? Let us know what you have to add in the comments!
*Note: Some parts of this interview have been changed to note that, when woven on a Mirrix, this is Saori®-inspired weaving, not Saori® weaving. Saori® is a trademarked technique done on a Saori® Loom.
6 Comments
Lynne
Um, after reading this I still have no idea what Saori weaving is.
mirrixlooms
Check out the link at the top to do some exploring!
Diana Taylor
I too, love the Saori philosophy and use this in all my crafts of weaving, knitting, and spinning. Any art form can benefit from the Saori philosophy, which is of there are ‘no mistakes,’ only opportunities to see in a different way. I have a Craftsy loom package on layaway, and look forward to playing with it. I want to make Saori style bracelets. I also want to use it to enhance my ‘Weaving a Life’ practice, created by Susan Barrett Merrill, in her book ‘Zati;The Art of Creating a Life.’ I look forward to making the keyforms, adding beadwork to the mix!
Diane Lee
I fell in love with Saori when I saw it not too long ago…..strangely enough, my first Mirrix (16″ loom) piece was an unwitting Saori bracelet that is an “hour glass” shaped, wide, beaded with silk, cuff shape. I’m still working on the type of clasp finish I’d like to do on it, but when I’d found the Saori article, I realized, “wow!” I just did that! lol …..I love this method and would like to, down the road, invest in the large Saori loom too, it is SO relaxing and addictive. You can really weave for hours, and not even know that much time has passed…..very therapeutic I feel. I wish I had a camera so I could upload a photo of the bracelet……hopefully soon 🙂
Lynn
I love the idea of Saori too, and thought about buying a Saori loom, but they are big, bad, and expensive. I also love tapestry weaving, and just bought my first Mirrix and I’m learning. The idea of combining Saori and more traditional techniques is wonderful.
LaDonn J.
Love Saori weaving, use it on any loom I have… it’s not the loom as much as the attitude you weave with! I have just received my Zach, and plan to use it Saori style sometimes, but I also plan to use it for traditional tapestry projects.