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What is wabi sabi? How to apply this ancient philosophy to your own crafting

wabi sabi
Everything you need to know about wabi sabi craftsCavan Images - Getty Images

A new interpretation of an ancient philosophy is being embraced by many in the crafting community. What is wabi sabi? Wabi sabi is an ancient aesthetic that originates from Zen Buddhism – and it's something we should all apply to our crafting.

With an emphasis on Buddhist teaching of impermanence, wabi sabi encourages us to take comfort in the knowledge that nothing is finished, nothing is perfect and nothing lasts. In life, things grow old, get damaged and fade; wabi sabi finds value in this.

One frequently cited example is that of the ritual of Japanese tea ceremonies. During such customs, participants often drink from a hand-crafted cup in the wabi sabi style – namely, a cup that is uneven and uniquely decorated. Rather than opting for mass-produced cups that look identical, the wabi sabi concept results in asymmetrical items that may have minuscule flaws. Their inherent uniqueness gives them an original character that many adherents to wabi sabi desire.

One contemporary aspect of wabi sabi that fans of the philosophy appreciate is its embodiment of sustainable practises. Using surplus materials, mixing and matching, and its "make do and mend" approach dovetails with a greener and more renewable perspective, something with the potential to benefit us all and a topic many of us are conscious of when crafting.

According to Hobbycraft, wabi sabi crafts “are designed to embrace the beauty of imperfections".

The retailer argues that this sentiment has recently sparked interest and enthusiasm within the crafting world, especially with its links with sustainability and upcycling. As a result, the make do and mend mentality is experiencing a resurgence, leading to many using crafts to help things last that bit longer, such as with sewing to create, repair and renew clothes.

A spokesperson for Hobbycraft said: “There are a number of great wabi sabi crafts, including Kintsugi, or ‘golden joinery’ – the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Why not also try crafts with clay, such as plant pots, as you can forget about keeping in the lines, and make something far more personal and individual to you.”

Interested in how to apply this fascinating philosophy to your crafting? Read on for some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Repair broken crockery with kintsugi

filling ceramic cracks with gold looks incredibly effective
Filling ceramic cracks with gold looks incredibly effectiveBigCircle - Getty Images

Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art in which broken pottery is repaired using gold, although thankfully you don’t need to be made of money to participate. Merge wabi sabi with kintsugi to give a new lease of life to broken ceramics and a new and unique focus to the cracks. Using gold paint or powder and mixing it with glue is one way to achieve this.

Make your own Japanese boro bag

Boro is a traditional Japanese form of reworking and repairing clothes that involves patching and stitching layers and layers of fabric to create clothing, accessories or bedding.

Traditionally, boro items were repeatedly repaired over years and even generations, with boro garments being handed down through generations.

Upcycle old clothing

rework and refashion existing garments
Rework and refashion existing garments Halfpoint Images - Getty Images

According to Clothes Aid, the UK sends around 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothing to landfill every year. In a bid to reduce this gargantuan figure, upcycle old garments, rather than sending them to the charity shop or throwing them away. Get creative and you can fashion yourself an entirely new garment – winner!

We have so many brilliant upcycling project ideas – check them out here.

Repair existing clothing using Japanese sashiko techniques

Sashiko is a Japanese form of repair and translates directly as “little stabs”. Practiced in Japan for thousands of years, this technique is traditionally done with white cotton thread on indigo fabric, although we think it works beautifully on fabrics of all textures and colours.

Make a faux wabi sabi vase

wabi sabi crafts
Recreate the wabi-sabi aestheticHobbycraft

And if you simply like the aesthetic behind wabi sabi, Hobbycraft shows you how to create your own faux wabi-sabi vase using a plain ceramic pot.

Have you applied wabi sabi to your crafting? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag in your pictures on Instagram!

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