shifu weaving
I’ve been weeding – both literally and creatively
searching for inspiration
a view from the ground up
meanwhile the shifu weaving is finished – washed and trimmed
even with a hemp warp it is soft enough to wear as a scarf
the weft is 100% handcut shifu paper, natural dyes
the bamboo reed worked perfectly
both ends were woven in Triple Draught Bird’s Eye
dyes (from the top) are indigo, kakishibu
natural with sumi writing
madder root, sumi and onion skin
the center is plain weave – with a secret message
the process is time-consuming
here is paper just cut
rolled in a damp towel and left overnight
then rolled on a rough surface until the individual strands become soft and round
the threads are torn off the header and the small connecting piece is rolled between the fingers
alternating opposite ends
you can see the fibre in the handmade Japanese paper that makes it strong
as the ends are torn, creating one very long thread
it is layered into a basket
when finished, beans are sprinkled on the top to prevent the stiff thread from becoming tangled
and then it is spun
I have spun it on both a drop spindle and a wheel
the wheel spun yarn gets a more even twist and is stronger
there is even a small sample for the monthly journal
squeezed out on the end of the warp
and now I’m off to conquer the beast on the loom!
www.onesmallstitch.Wordpress.com u 
Beautiful work love the subtle colouring
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Debbie -thank you, I enjoy weaving the random colour placement.
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I once made shifu with Vogue pattern tissue. Worked really well and also had a secret – dress! Lovely work, Jean. Never knew about the beans though. Traditional?
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Louisa – Hiroko Karuno shows it in her book “Kigami and Kami-ito”. It prevents a full sheet of Japanese paper becoming a tangled mess before spinning.
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yes to this. jean is back again, making beauty without “distractions”.
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Velma – getting back into the routine, still haven’t got the dye pots out yet.
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one step at a time!
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Velma – nothing too exciting, just throwing the shuttle.
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That process of preparing and spinning the paper yarn is fascinating! I, too, love the idea that words and a message are hidden within.
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Kerry – in the past the Japanese used old account ledgers, letters and scrap paper all written on handmade paper. I was given very old Noh acting scripts to cut up but don’t have the heart to destroy them.
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I love the idea of a secret message! Your book is going to be just amazing!
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Kjerstin – it really is a secret because I can’t remember what I wrote on the paper! Love Tuesday (that’s a secret message for only you, me and the Hitties)
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