Saori Journey

JEWELLERY ART BY MIRVA KUVAJA

Foreword
This is a translated and revised edition of my BA design thesis project “Jewellery art inspired by Saori philosophy” (2016).
I had very strict guidelines on what to include in the text when writing about my creative process and experiments with
Saori. It was only after I graduated, as people started asking for an English version, that I was able to ramble more freely
about the philosophical side of things.

The original Finnish version is still available in Theseus: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201605178192

In this version, all the photographs are my original work. Note also that some references are to Finnish sources which
have not been translated.
The following is my own interpretation of the Saori philosophy.

Mirva Kuvaja
November, 2018
Contents
1. Introduction 5
2. On creativity 9
3. Wearable art 12
3.1. Commercial jewellery 12
3.2. Jewellery art 14
4. Saori jewellery project 16
4.1. Saori community 17
4.2. Interpretations of Saori philosophy 19
4.3. Experience of Saori slogans 20
4.4. Many kinds of weavers 22
5. Saori jewellery making 23
5.1. The photographs 26
5.2. The weaving expriments 34
5.3. Sketches 36
6. Corrosion 38
 1. Introduction
5

It all started with pen and paper
Drawing used to be a very meditative
activity for me. The repeated line,
sound of pencil on paper and feel of
the movement helped with getting
into a relaxed mindset, where I would
be able to fully focus on what I was
doing. It was a relief at the time, when
there were so many other demands
for attention and background noise of
life. Years later, I was able to find this
flow state again through knitting and
then weaving. The key was to make
repetitive work with my hands.
I first got into weaving during my
second year of textile design studies
at a local university. We were lucky
to be the last ones to have the
opportunity, as budget cuts and
new trends were paving the way
for a different curriculum. I took
to weaving instantly, despite the
complicated looms and tangled warp
threads. There is something very
magical about seeing fabric being
made. It looks ready and professional
very quickly and one can see it
become more complete with each
thread. Even complex woven designs
are based on the simple idea of many
repetitive movements, which makes
weaving actually quite easy to do.
Weaving on a traditional floor loom
is all about the repetitive motion of
beating the weft threads into place.
Usually the weaving process begins
with a finished product already in
mind. Therefore the creative work
is actually finished before weaving
begins! All that is left to do, is the
technical production of the woven
piece. This part I personally find quite
dull on its own if the process has
been planned to completion. I like to
have the option of changing my mind
many times during the work and try
new techniques on a whim.

6
During my textile design studies, I realised that art, not design, was to be my vocation. I
could never stick to something simple and elegant which is what Scandinavian design is
known for. I always wanted to experiment with new materials, use bold colours and make
the final product with my own hands. I wanted nothing to do with industry. My first textile
artworks were completed in 2014-2015 and in them the technique used was nearly always
weaving irrespective of the materials.

At the start of this jewellery art project, I needed a theme about which I felt strongly
about and could use as an inspirational guide when I got stuck with the work. I chose urban
decay because I find my work and life affected by what I observe as the human relationship
we have with nature, as well as the change our existence is causing on the planet. It is
a dependency we do not seem to be aware of and therefore tend to make short-term
decisions concerning our surroundings. It is especially interesting to follow the evolution
of urban spaces; how nature adapts itself to the limitations of the built environment and
how people use rejected spaces. Abandoned buildings can become a place to sleep for a
homeless person, an exhibition of street art or habitat for plants and animals. These places
also mirror our attitudes towards the planet. These thoughts of urban decay were at the
heart of my Saori journey.

7
 1. Consider the differences between a machine and a human being.
2. Be bold and adventurous.
3. Let’s look out through eyes that shine.
4. Inspire one another, and everyone in the group.
-Misao Jo

2. On creativity
8
As a method, weaving has much more potential than just
as the means for making handmade products. Freeform
weaving where the goal is not the finished product,
but rather to experience the process, can become a
method of creative expression. This was also observed
by Misao Jo, the inventor of the Japanese Saori weaving
philosophy and technique. She realised that mistakes in
weaving can result in interesting and beautiful fabric that
a machine would not be able to produce. In Saoriglobal.
com, Saori is described as a Japanese freeform weaving
technique that is based on individual creative expression.
The results of Saori weaving are artistic, although often
Saori woven textiles are also made into clothes and other
craft products.
I found that spontaneous freeform weaving, where the
aim is not to make a product, but rather to experiment
without restrictions helped to also stimulate creative
thinking. Often it was helpful to keep a notepad nearby
while weaving, so that thoughts could be written down
and the focus would stay on the weaving. The process
was meditative and generated many new ideas. Saori has
also been used as a craft technique with meditative and
therapeutic aspects (Monaco 2015) and it is a hobby to
many weavers. I first learned about Saori in a craft event
organized by the Kuusisto Art manor in Finland during
the summer of 2015 where a visiting Canadian weaver
and artist, Dawn Livera, demonstrated this technique.
She made a lasting impression and my work has been
influenced by Saori philosophy ever since.
In traditional weaving the aim is to create usable
fabrics. Therefore, the process is started with the final
pattern or product in mind. This way the creative work
is done before any actual weaving is even started and
weaving is simply a production method. In contrast,
Saori Global, 2015. SAORI –how it started. http://saoriglobal.com/saori-how-it-started/
Monaco, E., 2015. How Loop of the Loom is uniting autistic weavers & fashion designers. Epicure & Culture.
Jo, M. & Jo, K. 2001. Self-discovery through free weaving. Japani, Osaka: Contemporary Hand Weaving Saori Co., Ltd., 19, 32, 65.
the Saori weaving method is based strongly on the beauty
of imperfections caused by mistakes and spontaneous
changes in the pattern, weaving density, colour or materials
(Jo & Jo 2001, 19). This freeform weaving method is done
with the aim of working ‘in the moment’ without planning
or comparison to the works of others. At the start of this
project, I was worried that this might be difficult for me,
because of the restrictions and learned ideas from my
design studies. I felt that my inner design student was
having a constant argument with my inner artist. The artist
wanted to focus on pure expression and the designer was
screaming for clean lines, symmetry and complimentary
colours. Misao Jo has created four slogans that are the
basis of Saori weaving philosophy. Saori weavers aim to
work according to their interpretations of these slogans:
1. Consider the differences between a machine and a
human being.
2. Be bold and adventurous.
3. Let’s look out through eyes that shine.
4. Inspire one another, and everyone in the group.
Each weaver interprets these slogans individually and
they are more of a guideline than a rule. I interpreted the
first slogan as meaning that one doesn’t have to aim for
perfection in their work. The aim is to find a rhythm through
weaving and reflect one’s own ideas into the woven piece.
Misao Jo’s viewpoint to the difference between work done
by human and machine is strongly tied to aesthetics. She
created individual and beautiful woven pieces, that cannot
be done by a machine (Jo & Jo 2001, 32). I tried to avoid
being influenced by any aesthetic values or the values of
others, because the motivation behind this work was based
on self-expression, regardless of whether the result is
beautiful or not.
9
 Part of Saori philosophy is to be experimental
and take risks regardless of feelings of
uncertainty. My goal was to go beyond what
has been taught to me about aesthetics and
harmony. The third slogan leaves a lot of
room for individual interpretation. I think it
encourages openness to new ideas. I tried to
challenge myself from an artistic point of view,
rather than worry too much about wearability
and trends.
MATERIAL
10
The final slogan is one which helps to unify the
Saori community: Saori weavers are encouraged
to practice Saori in groups and discuss it within
their community. This slogan has been applied well
in social media, which is full of blogs and forums
for weavers to communicate through. The Saori
community is also very active in organizing events
where weavers can network and learn new skills.
Many have travelled to Japan to meet Misao Jo
and to learn Saori straight from her. In this way
being active and taking initiative is also a part of
the Saori philosophy.
TEXTURE
COLOUR
When I immersed myself in Saori, I found that it
was useful to describe the work flow in detail. This
led to a better understanding of the strengths
and weaknesses of the work method. I started by
finding interesting materials, that had a noticeable
texture or colour. This led to new ideas that were
realised through experimentation. The finished
woven piece was most often reached through trial
and error. This in turn was only possible through
much experimentation and an open mind. I often
find that one can become limited by negativity
and notions of how things ought to be done.
Saori can be a good avenue out of this mindset.

EXPERIMENTS

A S
I DE

11
 Textile materials are well suited also for jewellery making, as they
are diverse and versatile. Textiles are meant to be touched, just
like jewellery, because they have a connection to the human body
through sensory experience. Similarly, jewellery is meant to be
worn or even to become a part of the body. In order to clarify
what takes jewellery into the realm of art, I compared aspects of
commercial jewellery and jewellery art.

3.1. Commercial jewellery

Commercial jewellery design produces jewellery that is aesthetically

pleasing and wearable. It also has to be a financially viable product
and follow trends to some extent. Often artisanal craft comes
3. Wearable art

to mind when thinking about unique jewellery, which makes it

difficult to differentiate between design, craft and art. High quality
craftsmanship is very important in artisanal jewellery, as well as
the creative vision. The aim can be to produce beautifully crafted
products, rather than artworks. Commercial jewellery can also be
mass-produced. Mass-produced jewellery is affected by trends
and dependent on what machines can make (Halén 2003, 147).
This is part of the reason why it is very difficult to utilize textile
materials in commercial jewellery. It is used more often in unique,
handmade artisan jewellery and jewellery art. Although I prefer to
make art, I also highly value the technical skill and vision of the
artisan and try to learn from different jewellery makers. Also, I
don’t usually find it necessary to make distinctions between what
is art and what is craft, because it is counter productive and takes
focus away from the work itself.

Halén, W. 2003. Neo-tradition: A Nordic case study. In Greenhalgh, P. The Persistence of Craft:
The Applied Arts Today. USA, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 146-147.

12
Jewellery can be used in displaying individual identity, which
is also tied to cultural history. For example, common themes
used repeatedly in Finnish jewellery have been nature and
the mysticism associated with it, as well as the value of
materials. A good example of this is the Kalevala-jewellery
brand. I think my fascination with jewellery art started with
my own habits of self-expression through jewellery. I wear
a lot of handmade and sometimes grotesque jewellery that
isn’t suitable for every occasion. It is important that the
jewellery is made from natural or recycled materials. My
favourite piece is a macramé necklace with real deer teeth
by Baiari makramee, because it reminds me of a more
savage kind of beauty and a dystopian world. This piece is
also interesting because it’s not suitable for everyday wear,
‘at the office’, and therefore also approaches the realm of
art with its association with death and decay.

The association that jewellery had with craft has partially

been the cause of it being excluded from the field of design
and art (Drutt & Dormer 1995, 15). In this project I also
experimented how much craft and wearability can be a
part of jewellery art, without losing the focus on artistic
expression. Therefore, this creative process included
elements from design and craft, but they do not define the
creative process or make the finished product solely into a
design or craft piece.

Baiari Makramee. https://fi-fi.facebook.com/Baiarimakramee/

Drutt, H., W., & Dormer, P. 1995. Jewelry of our time – Art, ornament and obsession.
USA, Michigan: Random House Incorporated, 77-80.

13
 3.2. Jewellery art
Jewellery has always been an expression of
individual and societal values. In the 1960’s
jewellery art moved away from the use of
traditional materials such as precious metals
and stones. The views on what made jewellery
valuable were challenged. According to Drutt and
Dormer (1995, 77-80), the value of jewellery is
determined by the skill of its maker, as well as the
amount of work that has gone into making the
piece. What is considered skilful can be defined
in many ways and sometimes modern jewellery
art is made with little technical work. It is rather
the thought process that goes into the work
that affects the value, not necessarily the time
spent working. It seems that the role of vision
and idea is more important in jewellery art than
the more traditional value of technical skill. This
leaves room for bold choices. Also materials, size
and content of the artwork affect its monetary
value. I think that value is also determined by
the associations, stories and memories one has
about a piece of jewellery. This explains why
cheap jewellery can also be valuable to someone.
There are many definitions of what makes
jewellery into art and often the artist’s own
subjective point of view determines this. Some
are of the opinion that art jewellery should
also be made with great technical skill and be
beautiful. With this viewpoint, even jewellery art
should be wearable. For example, the Norwegian
jewellery artist, Tone Vigeland, combines many
kinds of materials in her works, regardless of
their inherent value. The only rule that she has
14
is that her works should be wearable despite of
their often large size (Halén 2003, 146). In my
own work I try to create jewellery pieces that I
would want to wear myself. Therefore, they should
be comfortable. However, this doesn’t mean that
they must be beautiful. Jewellery art is the result
of creative expression and consequently aesthetics
and wearability are not the most important factors,
unlike in commercial jewellery.
The final art piece is only a part of the whole process.
Although everything starts with the idea, for me
materials are also very important. My creative
process begins in finding materials. It is only later
that the idea or whole story of the artwork develops.
What is common to all definitions of jewellery
art is the connection to the human body and the
meaning that this connection can add to the work.
This connection can be obvious or more abstract,
but it is always there. The role of the body in
jewellery art can be one that adds to the creative
expression of the artist or it can be simply the frame
that the jewellery is displayed on. It can be said that
art jewellery is a reflection of the artist’s or society’s
relationship to the human body. Jewellery art can be
made to be touched and handled, or not. Just how
much it is possible without damaging the artwork can
tell us something about the fragility of the human
body. Similarly, textile and fibre materials almost
beg to be touched. This makes textile materials also
interesting candidates for jewellery art.
Recycled materials and found objects are at the core of my work.

15
 4. Saori jewellery project
The main objective of this project was to create jewellery art inspired by Saori philosophy and
the theme of urban decay. To achieve this objective, literature, blogs and other sources were
researched*. Because the quantity of Saori literature was limited, a survey on Saori philosophy
was also conducted. The answers were obtained from weavers from all over the world who
participated in the Saori Facebook group. This provided a better understanding of the practice of
Saori philosophy and gave me ideas on how to incorporate it in the planning and weaving stages
of my own project.

The next step was to explore the theme of urban decay further through material-based
experiments and sketching. The material experiments included rust dyeing, weaving with unusual
materials such as metal wire, printing and painting. The results were documented and discussed
with journaling and photographing throughout the entire creative process.

Before and during this process I photographed urban decay, as well as derelict and empty buildings
around my hometown of Turku (Finland). These photographs were a source of inspiration in
creating artworks that deal with questions of value.

Because this project was done to develop my own career, it was important to also focus on the
essential aspects of the subjects of Saori and urban decay. Therefore, two research questions
were set:

How can Saori philosophy bring a new approach to

jewellery art and design as well as to the making process?

How can the theme or urban decay be expressed in

woven jewellery art?

*The full extent of research can be found in the original BA thesis work at Theseus

16
It is evident that Saori philosophy can be interpreted in many ways, depending on the weaver’s own
background and values. This made it very difficult to determine the core ideas of the philosophy for the
purposes of this project. The philosophy seemed very broad because of the variety of ways it is practiced
and understood. For this reason, the weaver’s interpretations of Saori philosophy were also considered in
this project. This was done by studying Saori blogs and conducting a survey within the online community.

4.1. The Saori community

Saori weaving is still a relatively new technique, as it was invented only a little over 40 years ago. Because
not much literature on the topic has been published, this makes the blogs and other online communities
an important and most up-to-date source of information for weavers. There are many Saori blogs online
and I saw them as a potential source for gathering information on the interpretations on Saori philosophy.
However, I soon discovered that many Saori blogs contained mainly pictures of the weaving process and
finished woven pieces. In these blogs analysis of the process was significantly less than in blogs that contained
more discussion. Therefore, I concentrated on the latter type of blogs although there were fewer of them.
I briefly studied 20 blogs and more thoroughly the contents of three, where the process was described in
more detail.

Clear interpretations of the Saori philosophy were expressed in these three blogs. They were a journal to
the weaver, as well as a forum for discussion. The readers consisted mainly of other Saori weavers, or people
interested in weaving and crafts. A sense of community is essential in Saori and through the blogs the
fourth slogan, “inspire one another”, can easily be put into practice. The Saori weavers inform each other
about events, write about their weaving experiences and experiments and develop new ways for weaving
together. For example, there is a trend of sending inspiration packages to each other. These packages
contain photographs, materials and other interesting objects within a chosen theme. The aim is to see how
different people interpret the contents of these packages through their weaving. Saori weavers also openly
share their skills and techniques, encouraging others to try them. They find artisan craft very important.
However, this does not mean strict following of traditional methods, but rather appreciation and respect of
skills and tools. Many weavers experience Saori as a method for relaxing and meditating, bringing relief to
stress caused by working life. Many Saori blog writers share their story of how they became interested in
Saori, or in other words, their Saori journey. This is part of their creative process, because Saori encourages
sharing in the community. The weavers found the philosophical side of Saori inspirational, as it brought new
perspectives and motivation into making craft. Because Saori has such a strong philosophical basis, the
weaving activity is thoughtful and communal.

17
18
4.2. Interpretations of Saori philosophy
Social media is important in the Saori community and it is actively used for communicating on an international scale.
For this reason, it was also used as a source alongside the document analysis of the blogs. A survey on Saori philosophy
was posted in Facebook’s Saori group. This group has over 2500 members from all over the world. Therefore, the main
communicating language in this group is English and also the reason why the survey was done in English. The questions
were left open-ended to obtain as much information as possible. Because the answers were not limited to a yes or no
format, many participants wrote quite a lot about their individual backgrounds and how they had become interested in
Saori weaving. Although this was of course very interesting to know, discussing what the weavers term their own ‘the Saori
journey’ was not the aim of the survey. Therefore, I focused more in analysing the results that dealt with interpretations on
Saori philosophy. However, it was clear that the weavers were very eager to share their experiences with Saori, and from
that it can be deduced that perhaps some kind of forum is needed to further discuss the philosphy and ideology of Saori.

The survey questions were as follow:

What do the 4 Saori slogans mean to you? How do you apply them?
Is weaving a profession, hobby or something else to you?
Do you make clothing or other functional objects out of the woven pieces, or do you weave for creative expression?
Do you usually have some theme or idea in mind when you start weaving?
What is your nationality?

Room was also left for further comments at the end of the survey.

The purpose of the first survey question was to determine how Saori slogans are interpreted and practiced. It was
clear from the results, that the philosophy was interpreted widely, but that there were also clear themes which were
repeated throughout the answers. Some weavers provided a more general answer, rather than dividing their answers
according to each slogan. To some of the participants the slogans were simply a guideline and they did not want to
strictly follow them. Nearly all participants experienced the philosophy as freeing from routines and acquired rules.
This made it possible to ‘live in the moment’. In this way the philosophy has become more of a lifestyle than just being
tied to the activity of weaving. The sense of community was very important to all weavers and some felt that they
could only achieve this through social media, because of the long distances and global scale of the Saori community.
The weavers expressed that the creative process is very important throughout the weaving activity. To a few it was also
a method for artistic work. One weaver described Saori as abstract expressionism and another as a jazz-like activity.

19
 1
4.3. Experience of the Saori slogans

Consider the differences between a

machine and a human being.

The purpose of the first slogan was interpreted

as encouragement to let go of learnt rules and
to live in the moment. This can be compared to
a weaving machine that will operate according to
pre-determined rules set by the operator. The
weavers appreciate the uniqueness of handmade
fabric and felt that machine-made can look
very soulless in comparison. The Saori method
accepts mistakes as improvements that make
up the unique aesthetic quality of the woven
piece. These mistakes cannot be achieved by
machines due to their random nature. The results
of the survey also showed that it is this added
randomness that gives ‘soul’ to the work.

2
Be bold and adventurous.

Saori weavers try to be very experimental by using multiple

techniques and many different materials. Approximately
a third of the participants bring the second slogan into
practice by trying new colour combinations, textures
and materials. The second slogan was almost singularly
interpreted to mean getting outside of one’s comfort zone
and as impulsiveness and challenging oneself. To one weaver
it was also important to throw themselves into the flow-
state achieved through weaving. Many wanted to also get
away from perfectionism associated with more traditional
weaving.
20
 3
Let’s look out through eyes that
shine.

I was particularly interested in how

other weavers interpreted the third
slogan because to me the meaning was
not self-evident. The survey answers
showed that some of the weavers
interpreted it to mean seeing beauty
in all things and practicing creative
expression. It was also seen as an
encouragement to keep a positive
attitude in every aspect of life, not just
in weaving and to enjoy the weaving
process.

4
Inspire one another and everyone in the group.

The final slogan was generally interpreted to mean that the Saori weavers
should share their skills, help and encourage one another. Many wanted to be
a part of the international Saori community. One weaver also felt it important
to avoid feelings of envy and ego. From the answers it was evident that the
individual goals of weavers varied. Some aimed to achieve a skilfully made
final product and others tried to concentrate more on the process and worry
less about the quality of the finished piece. Overall the Saori slogans were
interpreted quite differently and they were important beyond the weaving
activity, as a part of everyday life.

21
 4.4. Many kinds of weavers
The aim of the second survey question was to reveal
what role Saori plays in the weavers’ lives; is it part of
a lifestyle, a profession, a hobby or something entirely
different. In some of the answers this was not obvious.
Many weavers stated Saori to be a method of creative
expression that is separate from daily life. These answers I
interpreted to mean that Saori is a hobby. Many weavers
listed several meanings for Saori. To the majority, Saori
was a hobby. Some of the weavers employ themselves
with Saori, either teaching the method or selling their
woven works. To a few of the weavers it was also a form
of art therapy and to a couple, a method of meditation.
One weaver experienced Saori as a very spiritual activity.
Clearly the Saori philosophy has transcended craft and
become something more meaningful entirely. This sets
it apart from other types of craft techniques. Therefore,
it is experienced very subjectively and is also suitable
for everyone regardless of skill level. The answers to the
survey’s second question implied that the meaning of
Saori is so widely interpreted because it begins with the
philosophy rather than the technique.
The survey was also used to determine how much Saori
weaving is used in thenmaking of craft products because
the philosophy eschews making of detailed plans prior
to weaving. In the context of this study, a product is an
object that is made usability and aesthetic quality first,
creative expression second. The majority of the survey
answers showed that Saori weaving technique is used
both for artistic expression, as well as to make products.
Three of the weavers use it only to make products. It was
clear from the answers that creativity is more important
22
to the weavers than the function of the woven object,
although many sew products out of their woven pieces
after the weaving.
Thorough planning is very important in many craft
making techniques. Details about the materials, patterns,
and technique must be decided to achieve a result that
conforms with the purpose of the finished piece. In Saori,
the purpose is often simply to enjoy the activity of making,
which doesn’t require planning. Perhaps surprisingly, many
Saori weavers still plan their work before beginning the
weaving process. Many decide beforehand what colours
or materials they will use, but these decisions often
change during the weaving process. Some weavers don’t
make any plans, but rather start weaving straight away and
the final woven art piece or product idea develops during
the process. This reflects the difficulty of spontaneous
weaving, which requires the ability to take the risk that the
finished piece will not be like the original idea.
The survey respondents were also able to leave comments
at the end of the survey. In the comments the positive
attitude of the Saori community and acceptance of
different kinds of weavers was very evident. Weavers are
active in encouraging each other. Many also told about
their Saori journey and how important the therapeutic
and meditative elements of Saori are. Some criticism
of Saori was also given. It was felt that the philosophical
side was not as important as making beautiful fabrics
or craft products and that it was more important to
know traditional methods in order to have a good base
knowledge of weaving.
5. Saori jewellery making

23
 In this project, Saori philosophy was part of the whole creative process, starting with the
weaving experiments to the final finished artwork. After the material experiments I made
sketches of different jewellery ideas that had developed during the weaving process. I
gave myself permission to scrap or change my plans and ideas at any moment, which
I felt was part of the spontaneity of Saori. I have always started my work with material
experiments and the final idea for the artwork has developed later. Therefore, Saori
technique was very suitable for me.

My photographs of urban decay were also a constant source of inspiration during the
creative process. I have always been very curious about abandoned places and buildings.
One can never know what is in them, because they seem to be outside of societal rules
and conventions. In this respect, they are a world of their own, not often noticed and in
a transient state. However, many abandoned buildings are not without life in them. They
may be the only protection to a homeless person, a hiding place for animals, a place
where people come to express their creativity or release aggression or a habitat for a
multitude of small organisms. It is strange and fascinating finding objects that once meant
something to somebody but are now worthless and meaningless to everyone.

In experiencing these places, I also found beautiful graffiti works that are not seen in
public. Often, they are not mere tags, but real paintings that required a lot of technical
skill, thought and planning. I noted also the layered quality that many decayed places
have. They have marks made by humans, plants and fungi all mixed together with erosion
caused by time and elements. Abandoned places mirror the darker side of societal values
and the fact that we are not entirely in control. They are aesthetically interesting. I
imagined that evolution would create new, beautiful and dangerous organisms that would
be here even when humans have gone.

24
Thoughts about freedom, unknown artist

25
 5.1. The photographs
My aim was not to take technically correct or particularly skillful photos, but to concentrate on capturing the atmosphere,
a feeling or some small detail. Often I used my phone because it is easy to carry and use without significant loss of
image quality. The photographs show that what affected the atmosphere in abandoned buildings most was the light.
It shone through from dirty and broken windows, dust and reflected from uneven surfaces. Light could be soft and
atmospheric or hard, when the eye was instantly drawn to it.

26
I also had the opportunity to visit in the old prison, Kakola, where the light created a slightly melancholic atmosphere.
It also intensified the sense of separation between the world outside and inside. Inside the time feels stopped and
everything is silent. This building has since been developed into luxury apartments and like many gentrified places, no
longer has the quality captured in these photos.
27
28
29
 In some abandoned places everything was broken. I found flowers that had been left behind. Despite the obvious signs
of aggression, time felt stopped and everything was calm around me. The space was beautiful despite of the chaos.

30
It was interesting how once usable or valuable objects had become worthless or even a burden when the building was
vacated. In the past furniture was handmade and therefore cared for quite differently compared to today, when it is
cheaply produced in factories. There is perhaps not the same emotional attachment that humans sometimes have for
things they own. The untouched mirror looked almost absurd in the middle of broken objects and I wondered why it
was not broken.
31
 Some kind of connection, unknown artist Fly, unknown artist

Abandoned buildings were also full of graffiti. Many of them were thoughtful
artworks and I was struck by the tenderness some of them expressed. My
favourites were simple and melancholic line graffiti.

I also paid attention to surface details. Particularly rust, moss, chipped paint and
other worn, but live textures looked aesthetically pleasing to me and I thought
about how I could make such surface textures with my weaving.

32
I printed the photographs to have them constantly on hand when weaving. That way I could
refer back to them if I got stuck. However, I also used my own memories and impressions of
urban decay as a source of inspiration while I made the weaving experiments.

33
 5.2. The weaving experiments
I wanted to include the spontaneity of Saori in the weaving
experiments and therefore did not make detailed plans
before starting. I used a five meter long leftover cotton
warp that was about 30 cm wide and already wound onto
a floor loom. The loom used was a computerized Toika,
which was chosen because it did not require more than the
one electronic pedal, which made the setting up process
simpler. A simple plain weave was used as a basis for the
experiments, which is typical for Saori woven pieces. The
warp could have been made from many different yarns,
as is typical in Saori, but on this occasion it was white
mercerized cotton. The surface texture would develop
from the variety of the weft materials.
Although plain weave leads to a very even surface texture,
from experience I knew that it would be possible to create
dimensionality to the textures using yarns of varying
thickness, fibres and hard weft materials. I followed the
Saori philosophy as best I could and tried not to plan the
final end results too much. I wanted to immerse myself
34
into the process of weaving and find a creative flow state
through the weaving rhythm.
Often Saori woven fabrics tend to be very colourful,
although this is not compulsory. I did not use a wide
variety of colours in my weaving. I tended to choose calm
and muted colours instead. Although I made spontaneous
material choices, the colours may have partially been a
reflection of my educational background in textile design
and trend studies. My feelings about using very colourful
materials were mixed and it was very difficult not to
think about trends and colour harmonies. However, the
impressions I had gathered from my photographs were
more of an influencing factor in the colour and material
choices, than what was currently on trend. I used yarns
made of organic fibres, wool and cotton fibre, synthetic
fibres, as well as metals for contrast. I also realised that it
might have been easier to express myself freely, if I had
not included the photographs as a source of inspiration.
In this way they were a limiting factor, but on the other
hand they helped to stay thematically on course during
this project. For Saori weaving it might be better to not
choose a theme, but rather just weave what comes to
mind in the moment.
Of the organic materials I preferred the recycled cotton
fibre. It was coarse in texture and thick, because of the
cotton seed pieces mixed within the fibre. The fibre itself
was very short and it had to be woven into a tight structure.
That made the weave thick and strong and the resulting
texture looked very organic. Another interesting weft
material was paper yarn, which was used to create organic
and wild surface structures by twisting. The twisted yarn
fibres stood out from between the warp threads creating
a surface that reminded me of all the broken objects and
growing plants and fungi in the abandoned buildings.
Of the synthetic materials, most interesting was the furry
fabric, which was cut into long strips of varying thickness.
The surface texture created with them looks like mould
or fungus growing on the fabric. It is beautiful and at the
same time slightly unpleasant though inviting to touch.
The haptic quality of the materials started to fascinate
me more at this point and once I had finished my weaving
experiments I tested some screen printing techniques on
some of them. Felt printing worked best, particularly with
black felt.
I used many kinds of white materials in my experiments
because I also wanted to try rust dyeing. Among the
materials were natural fibres as well as plastics and
synthetic yarns. I wanted to find out how rust would
stick to the different materials. This method proved to be
very successful with the organic materials. By combining
organic and synthetic materials I was able to control the
spread of the rust. To achieve this result, I wrapped my
woven piece around rusted metal pieces such as old nails
and left it in salt water for two days.
35
 5.3. Sketches
Once I had finished the weaving experiments I made sketches of
the ideas that had developed. My ideas were strongly based on
the woven surface textures. I also tried to improve my drawing
style as I progressed and develop it to convey a feeling rather
than simply technical details. Normally I do not make sketches
as I work. However, I wanted to include the sketches in this work
and learn to use them as part of my creative process.

It was important to include the human body in the sketches,

because the body is always connected to jewellery art in some
way. This also added an element of wearability to the final
designs. I tried not to concentrate too much on creating a
detailed drawing of the human form, but rather bring out more
the details of the jewellery pieces.

36
At first it was very difficult to let go of paying too much attention to wearability and focus more on expression of ideas.
In the sketches of the collar-like jewellery pieces the wearability still had quite a dominant role. Some of the surface
texture design was based on the felt printing experiments done earlier.

The surface pattern of the blue jewellery piece consists of different coloured threads that have been plied together
alternatively clockwise and then anti-clockwise. This creates a wavy pattern that appears to lean on to one side of the
weave depending on which way the threads have been plied. I mostly sketched jewellery that was to be worn around
the neck, because it would be easiest to weave on a loom.

At this point the role of the human body became more important in my sketches. I was also very inspired to change
my own sketching style. My sketches became more abstract, showing more of the feeling that I was trying to capture.
I wanted my sketches to be quite plain, modern and geometric with emphasis on line drawing.

I still felt quite uncertain about my sketches and ideas, because all of them seemed to me to be too wearable and
aesthetically driven. I wanted to make more of a statement. However, the final sketch was much better, and the role
of the human body can also be seen more clearly in it.

The final art jewellery sketch is based on the rust dyeing technique and attached to it are also two pieces of metal.
These pieces I ordered from my brother Markku Mikkonen, who is a blacksmith. I felt that I now had the idea that would
become a realised jewellery art piece.
37
 6. Corrosion
Before I started to weave the actual artwork, I wanted
to make a few more experiments, where the warp would
be made in Saori style by using many different materials
and a varied density. I also thought about wearability by
choosing materials that would be suitable against the skin.
For the weaving of the final artwork, I created a 1.5m long
warp from different types of yarn. I used cotton and mixed
threads as well as paper yarn. The width of the warp was
5cm. I used plain weave but added variety into the density
of the warp threads, thus purposely making “mistakes” as is
common in Saori weaving practice.

I chose the weft materials spontaneously, but also kept in

mind my woven experiments and what had worked well in
them. The final woven piece was 1.2m long. The surface
texture of the woven piece looked too clean and new,
particularly when keeping in mind the theme of urban
decay. With material choices I aimed to achieve some
dimensionality to it and create interesting details. I rust
dyed the piece for a week and occasionally changed the
placement of the rusted metal pieces on the fabric during
the dyeing process. The texture of the jewellery has many
interesting details and invites the viewer to touch and have
a closer look.

The main objective of this project was to create woven art

jewellery that was inspired by Saori-weaving philosophy.
Because jewellery art was a fairly new concept for me, I
decided to also learn more about it through research. This
turned out to be very useful, because it gave me a base
knowledge that I can also use in the future. The aim was to
also study Saori philosophy as thoroughly as it was possible

38
 and the survey method turned out to be the best way. The
respondents gave very honest answers and it was clear
that the topic was something they felt passionate about.
I think that further discussion of Saori with the weavers
could provide interesting new insights into the philosophy
and how to practice it. I also really enjoyed reading about
the weavers’ Saori journeys from the survey results as
well as their blogs. It would be interesting to have more
literature on this topic in English, as that is the language
that the international community uses.

The theme of urban decay was like a connecting thread

throughout this project. The photographs of derelict
places were a source of inspiration for the woven
textures, as well as the meaning for the work. Without the
theme, the weaving experiments would have been much
more random, but perhaps also more in line with Saori
philosophy, which encourages spontaneity in weaving.
The weaving experiments and photographs were used as
a starting point for the sketches, which in turn led to the
final finished artwork, Corrosion.

Clearly it was important to include aspects of functionality

in the work as well as ideas about what is aesthetically
pleasing. In the beginning of this process especially I was
also firmly of the opinion that jewellery art should be
wearable. However, this opinion became more flexible
during the work and now I can see that the possibilities
for creativity are greater when functionality takes a back
seat.

One of the most important practical lessons I learned

was getting over my fear of ruining the work. I learned
that beautiful weaving can be done even if one makes
mistakes.

Corrosion
39
 The old jewellery factory building where I took
most of my photographs was finally torn down
this year. Now there is just a hole in the ground,
until new apartment blocks are built on top of it.
Before the demolition I went back to the factory
a few times to see if anything had changed. More
stuff was broken, and new graffiti had replaced
the old. The line graffiti which I liked so much was
gone. I felt a little sad, but it was as it should be,
because graffiti art is meant to be temporary. I
am happy that I had this opportunity to observe
and document the change within the abandoned
jewellery factory, because now a memory of that
place will remain in these pages.

40
41