At the end of October 2022, I took myself to Whitianga to attend SAORI by the Sea, with Louise Cook, New Zealand’s SAORI expert.
What is SAORI? SAORI is a hand weaving approach that emphasises and prioritises creativity and free expression. No rules, no fear – just pure absorption and immersion into weaving and working with yarn and threads. This ‘non-technique’ is meditative in nature and aims to build a clearer expression of your human self from the process itself and the resulting handwoven cloth.
I first learnt about SAORI on a trip to Japan in 2017. When I came home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the cleverly designed and stylish looms and weaving studios lined with beautiful threads and weaving. I was very very lucky to find a vintage SAORI loom on Trademe. The seller had brought it to New Zealand in 1994.
Soon I found Louise, and I attended a class at Upper Hutt Spinners and Weavers a few years ago now. I was truly hooked.
Louise says:
‘My two great passions in life are teaching and fibre arts, specifically SAORI weaving. I first discovered SAORI weaving in 2011 when I attended a workshop with a visiting tutor from Canada, and a year later I travelled to Osaka in Japan, the source of this wonderful art. I stayed for two weeks, learned as much as possible, attained pass results in the three examinations the studio presented and at the conclusion of my stay, I was asked by the SAORI family if I would consider being their representative in New Zealand. I am very proud to say that I am the authorised global representative of SAORI free style weaving in New Zealand. I continue to travel to Japan regularly to keep up to date with the new techniques and information.’
SAORI by the sea was held in a beautiful house overlooking Whitianga’s main beach. Here are beautiful SAORI threads with a view!
Louise made herself available for about two weeks, and students could book in for two days of tuition, and we were also welcome to stay as long as desired and enjoy Whitianga. I stayed for a week, weaving and swimming and laughing with new friends. It was a wonderful time.
There were three of us students most of the time I was there, and it was lovely to make new weaving friends.
This is my loom, on holiday/workshopping in Whitianga. Don’t look too hard, this warp had to be untied and set up correctly with the threads coming over the breast beam!
I was determined to get better at warping my loom, so I made three x two metre warps, only about 50 threads or about six inches wide (I’m also a quilter, I still speak in inches!).
At the end of that I felt much more confident, and warping was much easier, and I had three beautiful pieces to hang. These are my three completed pieces.
The darkest one has flax and seaweed and driftwood as well as silk and wool. The middle one took on a life of its own with a ribbon yarn that wove up so beautifully I just kept using it until it was all gone. The blue was created mainly with my handspun art yarn. 
And this is ribbon yarn on a narrow black wool warp:
Louise is teaching a class at Karori Arts and Crafts centre in Wellington. Find out more here: https://www.kacc.org.nz/store/products/introducing-weaving-saori-style-with-louise-cook-sat-4-and-sun-5-february
I would be keen to invite Louise to teach a class for Wairarapa Spinners and Weavers (maybe on her way home after the Wellington class early in February?). Let me know if you are interested through a comment on this blog, or at pixie.helen@gmail.com.
Some links:
Louise’s web page: https://weaveyourself.nz/
and she is on the Creative Fibre tutors page.
You can see more pictures on my instagram
https://www.instagram.com/pixie.helen/
and Louise’s instagram
https://www.instagram.com/weaveyourself/
and her facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=weaveyourself%20saori%20weaving
A note to members from Mary: Have you something special that’s fibrecraft related to tell us about? Do consider writing a guest blog – you can contact me if you click on ‘Contact Mary’ at the very top of this page.
Wairarapa Spinners & Weavers Guild 