Sakiori weaving workshop for Slowmakers - 15 May 2013

“Sakiori” (Saki = split or to tear, Ori = weaving)

This is a traditional Japanese technique where old kimonos are split into strips to create a new cloth. Otherwise known as rag weaving.
Sakiori gives new life into old worn-out fabric which would have otherwise been thrown away or abandoned. It is devised from the spirit of “Mottainai” which treasures and respects all resources and to not be wastefull.

It is an extremely creative technique that can be used in other textiles art – 'Sakiknitting, Sakicrochet and more! Yarns, fleece and fibres can be added to the fabric strips to make wild, textured cloth.

The clever people at Saori have developed the fanastic Sakiori cutter-

A brilliant little box that you feed your fabric through, which then shreds it into useable strips. You can get different blade widths so that your fabric is shredded into strips of 4mm, 5mm, 8mm or 15mm. Having spent many evenings cutting up strips of fabric for knitting and weaving the Sakiori cutter satisfyingly saves all that effort!

Two members of Slowmakers Norwich came to the studio to experience Sakiori weaving on the Saori looms. A morning of fabric shredding fun!