Making is Connecting; The Social Impact of Craft Community + Weaving
Weaving is a traditional process of creating fabric by interconnecting threads on a frame or loom. The free-form weaving ethos followed by Intertwine Art’s is intuitive in nature, following the principle of Saori weaving, a contemporary method founded by Misao Jo (1913-2018, Japan) in 1969 who created her own loom and style, free from the traditional concept and rules of weaving. She named her weaving style 'SAORI' in which anyone can express oneself freely regardless of age, gender, disability or intellectual aptitude. No two weavings are alike, and it is very natural that every single cloth freely woven by people with different personalities is beautiful in a different way. (Loop of the Loom, 2023)
In contrast to traditional weaving, Saori views ‘mistakes’ or ‘flaws’ as beautiful accidents that create unique pieces, as different as the different people who make them. This type of weaving forms a beautiful analogy for social inclusion, a visual statement of acceptance and celebration of individuality and difference. The interconnecting act of weaving could also be said to represent the ‘pluriverse’ - “ A world where many worlds fit and all people’s worlds coexist with dignity & peace without being subject to diminishment, exploitation, misery.” (Escobar, A. 2017)
Through the process of weaving with groups of people who may otherwise be marginalised or excluded from mainstream arts resources or services, we are able to interconnect people socially through the power of craft. Examining the social power of creativity and craft: (David Gauntlett, D. 2011)
1. Making is connecting because you have to connect things together (Materials, ideas, or both) to make something new;
2. Making is connecting because acts of creativity usually involve at some point, a social dimension and connect us with other people.
3. And making is connecting because through making things and sharing with the world, we increase our engagement and connection with our social and physical environments.
Speaking in an interview with Erin McSorley an art therapist and program manager at The Institute of Human Applied Dynamics (IAHD) Adult Day Center, she shared some thoughts on the empowering impact of weaving on the people with disability within their programs;
“I think weaving is something that's instantly satisfying, it doesn't take much time, it's very accessible and easy for people to learn. I think for the most part it looks challenging, really complicated and people are often afraid to try it but then they try it and they see oh it's actually not that hard and I think that really boosts people's self esteem and confidence by learning something new and in a matter of minutes you can see your progress.”
Creating something also means making choices - what colour will it be, what yarn will you use? The choices involved in making are an element of agency. If you are feeling that things are out of control, looking at something you have made and the choices it involved can be a talisman of strength. (Abrams, C. and Bevan, K. 2023)
