WS Journal 5 From Earth to Cloth: Karamushi Workshop 2409

I started working with karamushi because I found it fascinating that fabric could be made from the bark of a plant.

I had a vague idea of spinning thread from cotton and weaving it into fabric, but it wasn’t until I was in university that I learned that, in ancient Japan, people wove fabric from grass and tree bark.
I was also astonished to discover that the process of making thread from these natural materials required an immense amount of time.
The moment I learned this, I was struck with awe and a surge of excitement that fueled my thirst for knowledge.

The wisdom and techniques humans have developed to gather and process raw materials in order to live on Earth, the transmission of these skills, the acquisition of individual craftsmanship, the potential of the human body, and the creativity, ingenuity, and innovation that make life more comfortable.
The profound significance and challenges of taking from the Earth and creating something new.
These are the very roots of human life.
For me, karamushi is a way to experience all of this firsthand.

And I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds this fascinating.
The desire to understand the world, to know oneself, to explore and feel one’s own roots—these must be fundamental human instincts.
With that belief, I have been nurturing this workshop for a long time.

The workshop had to be postponed due to a sluggish typhoon, but thankfully, six participants were able to join.

Each person had their own reasons for attending, but once they were in front of the karamushi, everyone became completely absorbed in the process. During the harvesting and fiber extraction, the atmosphere was lively and filled with conversation, while during the weaving, a deep focus settled in as everyone worked silently.
The day passed in the blink of an eye.
What made me happiest was seeing smiles and hearing the words, “That was so much fun.”
Thank you so much for your participation!

========
2024/Sep/15 at Kitakamakura Takara-no-niwa Garden
========