In our fourth and final blog post in the Principles of SAORI Weaving series, we discuss the final principle: Inspire each other and everyone in the group.
As we have covered over the past few weeks, SAORI can be described as a creative weaving philosophy as well as a particular brand of freeform weaving. But SAORI is more than that too; SAORI is a community. This fourth principle reminds us that through weaving, we are connected to weavers and other craftspeople all around the world. I have a background in anthropology, which makes me keenly aware that weaving dates back thousands and thousands of years, connecting weavers today with their ancestors.
In 2014, I visited the SAORI headquarters while travelling in Japan and had the opportunity to meet the founding family of SAORI and other SAORI weavers. It was wonderful to share the bright and colourful studio with weavers from all over the world, with each of us sharing our creations and inspiring one another. I was just eighteen but found myself chatting with and befriending people from completely different generations. Sharing something like SAORI brings people together and minimises difference.
Sharing our weavings and appreciating the weavings of others is key to the SAORI community, because ideas are built off of one another. Workshops are a great chance to meet other SAORI weavers, where participants can inspire and befriend each other, picking up ideas and knowledge not just from the instructor, but from fellow students. Everyone, no matter age or experience, has something to bring to a workshop.
At BEAUTIFULcloth, we always love to see what people have been making with their looms, so if you would like to share photos of your creations, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
by Jessica Edney