Mom and Squares

I didn't post any of my "MOM" color scarf image.

Here it is with "Square" pieces. (right)

The color didn't show well in the picture though....

I have been enjoying making "squres" these days.

Here are a few of them.

It's fun making variety of "squares".

More to come!!

Happy Weaving and Thanksgiving!!

my mother's color

Yesterday was very unusual day for me.
It was Sunday. I usually have Taiko (Japanese drum) practice all day every Sundays.
However, because of the icy road condition, all the classes have been cancelled.
I have just experience driving on the icy road a night before, I was not ready to go back on the road anyway.
Though those Taiko practices are very important for me so I had to beready to go until the director e-mailed us "cancelled". When I got a phone call from my friend saying "it's cancelled", I was even test driving around my neighborhood.

So, I stayed home being relieved all day weaving, baking, needle felting, going to the gym.
I finished weaving a scarf.
I didn't do fancy much, but the two colors I used for weft that were dark dark red wool and mohair reminded me of my mother.
I used dark blue and brown for warp. She loves dark blue, too.
All these colors mixed together and while weaving, I was thinking of my mother a lot!

I actually am seeing her next month because I am going back to Japan!! Yeah!
I will probably bring the scarf and give it to my mom!!

Can't wait to see her and all my family members next month!

Happy Weaving.

Artist in Residency

Look at these great work!!

Last week, I was fortunate to have been invited to do SAORI sessions with students with disabilities at their school.

One of my SAORI student goes there and in September, her parents asked me to do a weaving birthday party for her with her classmates.

It was a HIT!

Everyone who tried SAORI seemed enjoyed it and her teacher loved it, too.

The teacher started organizing a residency so that all 40 students at the school were able to try SAORI weaving.

I went there last Mon-Wed. with all my 8 looms!!

The first day, one of my student/friend even came to assist me.

Thank you!!

Each student had one hour to weave.

Students who tried weaving a month ago remembered how to weave! That was so nice to see.

For many of them, it was their first time weaving.

For some of them, all the weaving steps were too much, but their teachers were their great help.

They were working together as a team!

Some were able to talk and weave at the same time. It was nice to see them socializing.

The teacher who organized showed me three woven pieces from September.

They were nicely framed.

She said, "I already got permission from the school. One of them will be mine as my retirement present."

They will be hanged at the school entrance soon.

I am sure they will be a nice addition to the white plain wall and will be noticable by many people.

The ones they wove this time will be shown next summer's Art Walk organized by Ordway Theater.

One boy kept saying "NO" to me whatever I asked him.

I thought, "How can I show him how to weave?"

I tried many ways to let me show him how to start weaving, but he still said, "NO".

At last, I asked, "Do you like saying "NO", don't you?"

I felt like playing a game with him. I wanted to make him say "YES"!!

He said nothing to what I asked. He was good...

He just needed some time to get to know me.

One teacher showed him how to weave.

Later, he listened my offer.

He actually really loved weaving.

He was able to figure out by himself.

I didn't need to show him much!

A teacher told me that he wanted to weave more after I left the second day.

He came back the third day and wove a lot!!

Yes, he was able to talk to me. He knows me now! Yeah!

Thank you for having me and for helping me!

Many teachers help me assiting their students.

Without their help, I couldn't have done it.

Many teachers enjoyed SAORI.

Many stundets enjoyed SAORI.

I decided to let them use a couple of my looms for a while so students who wanted to weave more can do it!

I will see you soon!

Thank you!!

Flower Field scarf

My "Flower Field" series new piece.
I made several shawls of this series, but this is the first time creating "scarf" for this series.
This is now at Minnetonka Center for the Arts for their Holiday Gift Sale starts on Nov. 18 at 6pm.

The colors didn't turn out well in this picture.
Yes, actual colors are much more beautiful!!
I feel like weaving another "Flower Field" scarf!

Happy Weaving.

Corn yarn and Hound's-tooth check

I met a couple at the Shepherd's harvest last May. They were next to my booth.
They were selling CORN YARN!!
If you think "Oh, that's from cornhusk, isn't it?"
You are wrong!!
It's from CORN itself.

It was new to me, so I purchased a couple of colors.
Then, I finished this.
I tried a hound's tooth check. I don't even remember when the last time I wove this check.
I am ready to show this scarf to this couple they are going to be in Hopkins tomorrow for an event.
They want to see how their yarn will become when it is woven.

I also did a little bit of needle felting a couple of days ago while watching TV at night.
I made 3 snowmen and apples for Christsmas ornaments.
They are not done yet.
I need to look for small branches for snowmen's arms.
This is my first time making 3D pieces.
I love them!
After taking these pictures, my dog Fuku ate a whole snowman.
When I saw him, he was chewing the second snowman. OMG!
It's my fault. I know he eats rovings and left them where he can reach..., but it took me a long time to make these!!

I am a part of the Winter Gift Show at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts for the first time this year and Fiber Fair at the Textile Center the end of next week.

I need to get ready for these two middle of next week.

Now, time to get to weave!!

Happy Weaving!