Starting Bill's Pukeko Cliak

It's been a busy May but at last I've finished Paula's panelled cloak. She was pleased with it and it looked good on her. 

I've started extending another small cloak for a client and that seems to be going well. I'll be able to undo the top part and put taaniko in for her when I get up to there. I have extended it twice now and I'm sure it will be a good size now.

And I've started Bill's pukeko Kakahu. I don't really like using pukeko but this seems to be going ok. One week in to June and nearly 30 cm  done. I'm only getting about one feather row per pelt so many thanks to feathergirl.co.nz for selling the Pukeko pelts. Even though he doesn't want a pattern the blue and black feathers are making a nice random spread.

And, fourthly, a start has been made on the James Hargest College Kakahu. This is being done by people learning to weave under my supervision. We have had one planning day and two work days so far. I am very pleased by their progress. It is being done in 7 panels so more people can work on it at one time. There will be feather, mawhitiwhiti and taaniko panels. I have designed some taaniko panels for them and we'll see what they like next Tuesday when we have a session during school time.

Southland REAP are going to run a beginners class for me in Wyndham in September if any one from there is interested. And we have our usual group meetings at Ocean View on the first Saturday and first and third tuesdays of the month. All welcome.

Facebook post put on blog at last.

April already. Where has this year gone. Still I have finished the peacock arapaki and it's ready for Ella.
Also the Rooster arapaki is done and extended. It has two rows of shaping as well. Sorting out how to add more whenu on the side of an almost completed piece has helped with adding on to another korowai and also encouraged me to think that the making of a korowai in panels is a possibility. This idea will be very helpful when we do the James Hargest College cloak in collaboration with the teachers and Whanau of the school. I think 7 panels with 4 feathers ones, 2 mawhitiwhiti ones and 1 taaniko panel in the middle will work nicely.

I have extended the korowai for Paula and have now started with the longer rows. You can't really tell where I have joined on. Yippee.

February and Paula's cloak

February already. We have had our first Saturday weaving and has great time catching up. Now it's back to work in earnest. I need to catch up with Matenga Russell too if anyone knows him. His phone number wasn't working when I rang him.

Paula's cloak is coming on although it takes ages to do the rows when doing the taaniko in the middle. Now that I have done three types of feathers it's looking better.

I have continued with my trial for Paula's and am still learning from it.

 The third one is a shoulder cape of peacock feathers. I do that one when I'm tired of the other two. It's a little easier to transport too.

I have moved my work into a lighter, brighter room in our house. It's lovely to work in.