Living in a small mountain village just outside of Tokyo, I grow a crop of indigo every year and process the leaves into dye using traditional methods. I also breed silk moths, raise the silkworms and then reel/spin the silk from the cocoons. The silk is then dyed with natural dyes and finally woven on traditional Japanese looms. I run several ten-day live-in workshops a year at the old farmhouse here in Japan focusing on the Japanese use of indigo. Contact me for information.
Friday 18 June 2010
A new backstrap loom class for beginners.
Three very enthusiastic students have made up a Friday class. To keep it interesting I have all three of them weaving something slightly different. Koike san is weaving saki ori for the first time. (Actually it was the first time she wove anything today.) I had some old silk kimono lining that I dyed with madder and Lac. Perfect to rip into fine strips and weave.
Takeshima san is weaving some fine white paper thread she will later surface design with indigo and persimmon tannin.
Kameii san is weaving a gorgeous random indigo hemp stripe. Picture to come.
Just found your blog....can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeletetakeshima san is weaving shifu? did she spin it?
ReplyDeleteWonderful blog! Do you have any photos of those old silk-raising farmhouses in your neighborhood?
ReplyDelete