The magic of visual art and the written story

Japanese Paper Yarn: Using Washi and Kami-ito to Knit, Crochet, Weave, and More

I’m excited to share with you that my next book, Japanese Paper Yarn: Using Washi and Kami-ito to Knit, Croshet, Weave, and More was released in 2024 by Schiffer Publishing.

If you’ve never heard of washi or kami-ito – and especially if you’re an artist, crafter or a lover of art and craft – you will be THRILLED to read this book! Filled with photos of art created by long-time paper-based artists, and 12 How-To projects for knitters, weavers, crochet aficionados, quilters, and others who like to create, you’ll learn the origins of this ancient technique and how to use it in your own work and play.

Washi refers to exquisite handmade paper and kami-ito refers to yarn made out of washi. In the distant past, such yarn was used to make garments. A sheet of paper was cut into very narrow strips, zigzagging back and forth across the sheet to create a single long strip, which was then spun into paper yarn. To make cloth, these papers were woven, either as the warp or weft or both, and painted with a substance that made it waterproof and strong.

Nowadays, fine washi is primarily used by artists either as a canvas or for sculpture. My favorite work is the knotted, lacquered sculptures created by Kakuko Ishii, an artist whose pieces have been shown in fiber art exhibitions around the world since 1978. She makes her sculptures of twisted stiffened cords called mizuhiki.

Pre-order Here

Using Washi and Kami-ito to Knit, Crochet, Weave, and More

Meet Andra

Andra Stanton writes nonfiction books about new or unusual art forms, novels that entertain but also make you think, and she’s a textile artist whose work has won competitions and been exhibited all over the US.

All of Andra’s work start from her two loves: the idea that each of us has a story that helps us understand what makes us tick and lends our lives meaning, redemption, and grace; and her fascination with magic and fantasy that she’s nurtured since childhood. Magical ideas helped her get through a difficult childhood – they’re the ultimate escape.

Take a Class

Gather some friends to watch a ZOOM workshop (minimum 5 people) or come to her studio in Boulder, Colorado (limited to five people) and have fun in-person. Andra teaches a variety of fabric- and paper-art classes.

Botanical Printing on Raw Silk
Paper Accordion Collage Book
Grunge Gel Printing

Non-Fiction

I think of myself as a champion of artists doing interesting, unusual, and beautiful art. Scientific researchers told us that art heals – by increasing pleasure hormones (dopamine) and decreasing stress hormones (cortisol) – but we already intuitively knew that. Making and viewing art can fill us with wonder and joy, and tap into our sadness, too, giving visual voice to our deepest feelings. With the support and kindness of others who share and appreciate our love of art, we can reap the pleasure of affinity and connection.

Fiction

My Life in Runes

Since running from her violent husband, Maggie lays low in a new town. Her neighbors, hearing she is starting a garden, have been gifting her mysterious seedlings, presumably to welcome her. What she doesn’t know is that all the plants are poisonous. What’s more, the plants are sentient and watching out for her should her husband come looking for her.

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