more paper

I've been playing around with different decorating ideas.  I used fabric markers on this one.  I've tried 'regular' markers before, but they tend to bleed if you are getting your paper wet for spinning.

Here's a piece of washi-calligraphy paper that I used sumie ink on.  You have to use a lot of ink for it to show.

Today I found two kinds of Japanese weaving with gold leaf om paper. One is actually a yarn, the other is slit paper as the weft, and not spun.

http://www.takuminohako.com/products/detail.php?product_id=67
This website explains the process.

Saga nishiki is gold covered paper which is kept flat for the warp threads, and woven with silk weft. http://www.wormspit.com/saganishiki.htm

I put some copper leaf on Thai unryu:

It turned out pretty nicely. 

Shifu

Yesterday I taught a workshop at Art and Soul retreat in Portland. I couldn't find my camera, so here is a pieced together sequence.  I had a small class of 5 lovely ladies, who signed up to learn how to make paper yarn.  They cut Thai unryu to make continuous strips, as I've shown here.

Then we roughed up the paper a bit to prepare it for spinning. (Different sheets of paper.)

Since I met Susan Byrd this summer, and have studied her video, I can now do the pre-spinning part on my woven yoga mat.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81sC5VcJEZL._SL1200_.jpg

 No need for scratched up knuckles from rolling on concrete blocks.  It's not as tight and compact as it should be, but it worked fine for me.

 

Then you separate the links at the top and bottom to form a long strip.

Spinning can be done on a spinning wheel, bobbin winder, charkha, cord winder, drop spindle, drill, and other devices.  Since no one in the class tried my battery drink mixer, I decided to use it today.
I did not dampen the paper overnight.  Instead, I moistened it with water on my hands while I was spinning.

 

 Ready to weave!