More about 3 courses
TEMARI - Thread Balls
It is said that thread balls were first introduced to Japan 1200 years ago, the Nara era of Japan. In those days they were mainly used as toys for children.
There are variations depending on the area of origin such as Hime-temari (Kyoto), Nanban-temari (Kumamoto) and Kishu-temari (Wakayama).
In the 16th century, the core of the ball was consisted of squeezed rice hulls and buckwheat hulls. Thread would be wound around the core followed by a layer of material and around the material would be the final layers of beautifully coloured and geometrically designed threads. (Be careful not to go out of the correct sequence of threads as it would be impossible to proceed and complete the thread ball correctly as with Torchon lace work.)
Check the Wikipedia "TEMARI"
MOJIRIORI
Mojiriori is a traditional form of weaving. It is used not only in Japan but also in China, Korea, Peru, Mexico and Guatemala. This technique comes originally from China and Peru and was introduced into Japan from Korea between the seventh and eighth centuries.
At that time, mojiriori cloth was used for ceremonies, garments for the aristocracy, and for gifts. Nowadays, mojiriori cloth is used for kimonos. Professional mojiriori weavers use special looms.
The teacher, Chieko Hatanaka is planning to introduce some mojiriori weaving techniques, using the backstrap loom. We hope you will enjoy this mojiriori workshop.
Basic Patterns
KUMIHIMO - Japanese braiding
Early in the13th century the word "lace" appeared in a document from an English convent. It was a kind of braid in which threads were crisscrossed. In Paris, passementeries were sold as accessories, and in the14th century linen braid was made to trim gowns in Italy. As you know, braiding skills were brought to Flanders by French nuns taking refuge from wars in the 15th century.
Japan as well as other Asian countries has developed a braiding and knotting culture. Kumihimo is a part of this. Among the remains of ancient dwellings (about 10,000 to 6,000 BC), we can recognize the shapes of braided decoration on the surface of earthenware. At the end of 6th century AD, metal ornaments embellished with decorative knotting were found in the tomb of a nobleman in Fujiki.
Even as Celtic braiding patterns are part of Christian cultures, Asian knots and braids cannot be considered separately from Buddhism. Ornaments for altar fittings, scriptures, and the Buddhist Canon played important roles. Sometimes they indicated ranks in temple hierarchy.
We Japanese have been using them ornamentally as well as for practical purposes. When in 1192 the Samurai, those swashbucklers, came to power, Kumihimo was used to decorate their armour as well as to support their swords. After the years of civil war there was a relatively peaceful period during which Kumihimo making was one of the accomplishments of the Samurai.
Ordinary people also started to enjoy beautiful Kumihimo. At the end of Edo era, at the beginning of 19th century, the obi sash became wider and brighter. So Kumihimo was used to fasten the obi securely. When a new age began in 1868, a decree banning the wearing of swords was issued and the Samurai gave their sword-bearing cords to their wives and daughters. It was then that Kumihimo cords became very popular all over Japan. Now Kumihimo is thought to be a girls' hobby, and very few people know that it was once strictly men’s work.
Check the Wikipedia "KUMIHIMO"