Paper Yarn Weaving

I had the opportunity to take a seminar with Pirkko Karvonen, on weaving with paper yarns.

I wove these paper vases, using the technique described by Pirkko.  The warp was a 3 ply hemp, and the coloured weft was paper yarn, alternating with a weft of 6 ply hemp.

Paper Yarn Vase

Paper yarns have been used in Finland, Sweden and Japan to make textiles, clothing fabrics, placemats, rugs and other decorative items. Once paper yarn has been woven, it retains its strength and can be cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth.  Paper yarn is low in
dust and is a good alternative for those with allergies and environmental health problems.

Paper yarn is best used as weft.  When you weave with it, dampen the paper yarn before you weave with it. Try to weave all the paper yarn that you have dampened that day. If you are interrupted, you can put the damp paper yarn into a plastic bag to keep it moist
and use it the following day.  If you leave it damp for too long, it may mildew or start to
fall apart.  When I wove with the paper yarn, I wound it onto a bobbin and then dipped the bobbin in a small dish of water, before I wove with it.

Pirkko Karvonen
Holding a flower made with paper yarn.

Pirkko Karvonen with Paper Yarn Flowers

Paper Yarn Vest
The Japanese vest was woven with a silk warp. The special paper used as warp in the vest was folded and cut into narrow strips(about 2 cm wide), almost to the edge of the paper. This cutting technique is similar to that used for cutting rag rugs.

Paper silk vest

Paper Silk Vest 2

Sakiori
How to make paper yarn. The paper is dampened and wrapped in a towel. Let the damp paper rest overnight.
The next day, when the paper is opened up, it produces a long narrow strip. The narrow strip of paper is then rolled on cement or a smooth surface to produce a spun yarn. The edges of the paper are rolled between the fingers to smooth them. The selvage edges will show up as slubs in the weft of the fabric.

The Thread in Everything
An article about Pirkko Karvonen in Athabaska News.