Workshop Date: TBD Summer 2026

Email to register your interest in this workshop, and you will be one of the first to receive notification of dates. linda@washiarts.com

Location: Blaine WA

In this two day workshop you will work with a variety of handmade Japanese papers to make bundles of kami-ito (paper thread) which you will then weave into small swatches of shifu (paper cloth).

Shifu is defined as a spun and woven paper textile, in which at least the weft (but sometimes also the warp) of the textile is made with paper. This textile technique was developed in rural Japan as a way to make a warm cloth. From that humble beginning it has been refined into exquisite textiles often viewed as art.
In our class, you can expect to work a bit with color as well, making marks on papers that will be spun up into secret-keeping textiles.

North Country Shifu will introduce you to a version of shifu making. You
will learn how to prepare a piece of handmade Japanese paper for
spinning, dry spin it into thread (kami-ito), then using a simple loom and
needle, weave your kami-ito into shifu.

Spinning and weaving paper is a unique experience for both paper and
textile artists, facilitating crossover and encouraging new thinking and
making in both fiber and book arts. This class is open to students of all
levels, although having previous spinning experience will be helpful.

This workshop will require you to bring minimal tools such as cutting mat, cutting took, notebook, etc. If you do not have these things we can bring extra for use in the workshop. There will be a materials fee for paper and use of tools in the workshop. This will be posted shortly. Supplies will also be available for purchase.

Take a beautiful handmade sheet of Japanese paper, cut it, in order to spin it into thread, to weave into cloth.

Note: there is an optional third day being developed for those wishing to continue their work with spinning and weaving washi and using the materials to create small book-like projects. Please register your interest in the notes section at checkout or email me at linda@washiarts.com

Deposit will hold your place in the workshop. Full payment is due fourteen days after deposit is made. Refunds cannot be made after that time however every attempt will be made to fill your spot. If you need to withdraw, please let me know asap so the space can be made available for someone else.