Wedding problems

Having completed the third block of feathers I have just thought of a solution to a problem I can see which I should have done before I started feathers.

Taniko often ends up wider than the body of the korowai. Mostly I do the taniko at the top where I can drop whenu (warp strings) and pick them up for turning. They are hidden by the mawhitiwhiti pattern on the back. However with the taniko on the bottom I hadn't given much thought to this problem. And to make matters worse I chose to do mawhitiwhiti in the body as well drawing in the sides even more. I can see now if I had added some whenu on the first row after the taniko hiding the addition under the feathers there wouldn't have been such a problem. Must remember this for next time I do a wide taniko on the bottom of a korowai. 

As it is I may be able to tighten up the cast on row a bit by running a 'gathering' thread along. It's not too bad but I notice it and it annoys me when I could have fixed it earlier. 

White wedding korowai

The sideways korowai is finished. 

It's not really yellow but the only light was from the electric light. 

And now for the white one. I bought the silver thread on Wednesday and yesterday I finished the taniko. Today I have completed the first block. The feathers had been done a few months back. 

The pattern I decided on is to have blocks of feathers and mawhitiwhiti alternating. I hope it will look good. Blocks seem to be popular with our group at the moment. 

We are all looking forward to our exhibition near the end of June. 

Tuesday 20th May

Judy is nearly finished her cloak. She is such a perfectionist she had undone quite a bit no one side to fix a slight flaw. Now she is on the last row or two or three, because its Judy.  The turn at the top has been done as a plait and is so neat. 

Elaine has dressed her doll beautifully with a mawhitiwhiti dress and cloak. The taniko patterns are reversed on the korowai and the dress. 

I have nearly finished my sideways korowai and have finally got some more silver string to carry on my white cloak. Now I just need to decide on a pattern as I don't think I will do feathers all over. 

Sideways cloak

Hmm this seemed a good idea at the time but I'm tired of it already. However I'm pressing on. I have run out of some black cotton for the tags do can legitimately put it aside till I go into town next. 

So meanwhile I am casting on another korowai. It will be a short Arapaki with feathers. Here are the first two rows done. 

What next

I am trying to finish off projects that have been started for a while. This bag is one. It was started with fluffy peacock feathers but I ran out after last seasons moult. It has been too wet here to pickup some more so I used some other feathers I had prepared. Still not sure what I'll do about handles. I have some somewhere in my room if only I could remember where. 

I have a box full of small pieces I must finish for our exhibition at the end of June. 

Then I've started a new idea I saw a friend up in Papakura thinking about. It is a sideways way of making a cloak. I am trying a short elbow length one first. 

It just has tags - no feathers. It is made as usual but with long strings. I have a long plait on the left and just a twist on the left although thinking about it now I could have done a short plait there too. But the whole piece is to be turned 90 degrees so that the plait is the top and tie, the taniko will be down the front and the rows will be vertical. 

We will see how it turns out. 

Tuesday Weaving again

Today I showed the girls my finished korowai. 

It's done. And in only 70 hours or nearly three weeks. I am quite pleased with it and certainly like the tags as they made it quite fast compared to feathers.  It can go in our exhibition at the end of June. I will charge $2250.  Even though I am quite quick at weaving there is still a lot of work and pain involved, and I spend concentrated time on it like a job. 

Lyann had almost completed her taniko in two days. 

She also brought some rooster and hen pelts she had done. She is selling them for $25 each. 

Saturday weaving

A whole day of weaving, talk, laughter and food. This is our Saturday weaving group once a month. All are doing well with their work. 

Lunch time!

Judy is nearly at the top of her korowai. 

She has lots of interesting ideas and designs. 

Lyann has starting the taniko on hers. 

All her taniko threads are wool she has spun and dyed herself, from silver dollar gum (brick red) and dahlia seed heads (yellow) and black alpaca yarn. 

Elaine has started a small korowai with a lovely fawny brown duck feather.

And I have nearly got to the top of mine.