MOJIRI-ORI samples.

I have just received these lovely samples of mojiri-ori from John Marshall, bought through his blog. John Marshall writes about historical, technical and cultural information about Japanese textiles and dyeing. Each week he have a textiles of the week, where he writes about a special technique and then it is possible to buy textile samples.

I have in an earlier post wrote about mojiri-ori in Japan and also about Takeshi KITAMURA -a living National Treasure.

John Marshall calls gauze karami-ori and I asked him what the exact term is. He told me that technically, the correct term is "karami-ori". It is considered standard Japanese and can be used anywhere. "Morjiri-ori" is more of a regional term (for the Kyoto/Osaka area).
The verb mojiri means to distort, or torture. The verb karami means to entangle or find fault.

For me I will continue to call gauze in Japanese mojiri-ori as this is what I have learned from Takeshi KITAMURA.

I bought four beautiful samples from John Marshall, about the first one he writes;
"Sha-ori sample.

This fabric sample is an example of a variation on the basic sha structure of weaving in which pairs of warp threads are mated to twist back and forth around one another, so that in the end they appear to be a single thread.

The bolt is labeled High Quality Real Sha Double Weave, with the top layer woven in black ad the back woven in red silk. It is the crossing over of these planes of color that creates the figurative work, even though each taken alone is a simple sha weave".

 These two pictures shows the front of the sample.

The back of the textiles where the red warp is in focus.

This next textile is very beautiful. John Marshall writes; "Sha Weave sample.

Ro is a weave that employs the sha structure with the addition of areas of plain and /or twill weaves.
Images evoking cool, languid times have always been polular in karamiori weaves. Here we see a very popular pattern called seigaiha, blue ocean weaves.
At first glance the sample appears to be a very finely woven ro. However, close examination shows that there is no flat weaving in the structure. Every cross has a twist. By definition this makes it sha rather than ro". 

This green sample is a favorite.
 
John Marshall writes; "Classic Ro sample.

One of the attractive features of this silk sample is an almost linen-like stiffness. Coupled with the lozenge-shaped pattern, it is ideal for summer clothing – it will stand away from the wearer’s body and allow any hint of breeze to cool unhindered.
If we zoom in to focus on how this lozenge pattern is achieved, it is easy to see that the twisting pairs are actually made up of two sets of four threads. Each bundle of four makes a twist to the right, followed by a twist to the left. Between the twist, bundles divide into parallel rows of eight and are worked as a flat weave. Twist/flat, twist/flat, repeated throughout the entire bolt is what created this seemingly complex motif".

 I am in love with this red sample, so therefore it is my favorite of the four samples.

John Marshall writes; "Ro/Ra sample.

In Ra weaving, pairs of warp threads are free to meander and recombine forming highly intricate webs of relationships, often pairing with threads three or more rows away.
The label on the bolt of this sample clearly states that it is ra. However, if the weave structure is closely examined it becomes obvious that it is composed of neighbor pair twisting – interspersed with areas of flat-weave weft. This is the classic definition of the structure of ro".

 These three pictures shows the front of the textile.

And the back with the white thread twisting from right to left.

Every time I see something new about gauze, I have to either read more or buy. To me this technique is so fantastic. I can't get enough.

All I can say is: LOVE LOVE LOVE.