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Zori Making

We spent the last two days after classes learning to make a traditional Japanese shoe.  They are made by hand to be about a centimeter too small for your feet, and are generally worn with kimono.  We made ours using only rope, some foam-like tubing, fabric, our own hands, and a sort of wooden needle just for pulling fabric through in loops.
Materials.

The beginning.

Weaving strips of fabric into the rope, nice and tight for a firm foundation.

About to attach the straps, using the foam tubing.

More weaving.

The straps have been woven in!

All I have to do is attach the strap where your toes go around.

They're pretty much done!

The bottom of the finished zori, before trimming.

I can wear my shoes!

Finished!


Next to Lynn's.
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Comments

  1. PattyJuly 26, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    I'd know those cute little piggies anywhere! These are really cool...any chance you'd be willing to help me make a pair when you come home...?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AlysseJuly 26, 2011 at 2:23 PM

    I can certainly try! But there are a few knots and weaving techniques that I don't know how to do, so it will be an experiment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. DeigeaJuly 26, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    Nice feet :P
    "no needles used. only fabric and rope." -Alysse
    Hmmmmmmmmm.... I think I see a piece of pointed wood that would disagree...

    ReplyDelete
  4. AlysseJuly 27, 2011 at 2:42 AM

    It's not a needle, it's a pull-y through-er thing so we could tuck in extra fabric.

    ReplyDelete

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