Easter Sunday.

Happy Easter to everyone. May the blessings of the season be with you. 

Three quarters of an hour of work today and two rows finished. 

I think it might be a bit of a squashed star but I'm committed now. 

Tuesday weaving group

It was great to get back to the weaving group. Such a lot of work done while I was away. 

Elaine had finished her child's cloak made of goose feathers and eyelash yarn.  We had a new weaver join our group. Don't think he'll make much. 

Day three Matariki korowai

4 and 1/2 hours and my shoulders hurt. But 9 rows down today. I can start to see the pattern coming. 

Time to do something else for the rest of the day. 

Day two of the Matariki korowai

It took two hours on the computer to get my pattern right. And that was based on one I had already done, and still I did it wrongly doing it for 260 strings instead of 250. So a bit of cutting and sellotaping later and I am happy with it. This afternoon I managed two more hours and got 4 rows done on my taniko. Now it's Easter. 

Starting again

I still have not been able to get the silver yarn for my taniko so I'm putting that one aside for now. I made a little one to get my hand back in but I am not very happy with it. 

Anyway I have started another big korowai which I am thinking to do with just a big taniko on the bottom, tags in the body and a small taniko at the top. We will see how that pans out. It will be different without feathers but some people can't cope with feathers do someone might be interested in it. 

This picture shows my messy work room with the set aside bundle behind my newly cast on whenu. It will be 260 whenu wide of a thin string used double. 

I have also started a Facebook page for korowai weaving. I hope it works too. 

Monday at Whiri Aroha

Today I am in Auckland. We have had two weeks in Sydney visiting family and now have one week in Auckland. So today I visited my weaving home - Whiri Aroha - at the Papakura marae. It was lovely to see the old faces and meet new ones. And I always learn new things.

Lesson 1: always listen to your elders. I have been weaving the new string double as it is a lot quicker but when I saw Ma's work using it as a single whenu I was very impressed by the delicacy of it. 

I am keen to get home and do the next korowai singly too. I will try a big one and see if it is stable enough. 

Lesson 2: Don't be afraid of different colours. I really liked the blue colours Ma was doing in her taniko. Also we have always steered clear of using coloured feathers as the dye can run when moistened.  But when you dye fabric you use salt to set the dye. So when you wash the coloured feathers try using lots of salt in the water. I must give this a go as I was gifted some dyed red feathers. 

Lesson 3:

Try new things in weaving, try to improve,and meet with other weavers if you can. It was so lovely and inspiring to see what everyone was doing. 

Betty showed me how to make earrings with 7 whenu. As soon as I am home I must have a go.

 It was sad, though, to hear of ones who had passed away since I was there last. 

I really want to thank this group for their love, acceptance, teaching and inspiration. 

March 4th

Our usual Tuesday morning group today.     I cut some string for a new large korowai. I'm thinking of a white one. I managed to cut and start a cast on row before it was time to pack up. On Wednesday I got the pattern set and a few rows of taniko which I am doing at the bottom. 

It only took me three goes to get the first pattern row of the taniko done.  It is always tricky but...   Perhaps because I am listening to Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' read by Phil Dragash on YouTube. 

I am using gold and silver threads and a heart design I have used before for a wedding korowai. However being on the bottom I have doubled the design. 

March 1st

Today there was only a small group but we all got. Some work done. Elaine has nearly got to the top of her interesting korowai. 

She has used some eyelash type of yarn to do the red and grey areas and goose feathers flipping up. It will be a most interesting korowai when finished. 

Tuesday 18th

Lyann had done a lot on her cloak this fortnight. She is designing so well and is so enthusiastic. 

This child's korowai has been done on some string from Spotlight and uses black chook feathers and black and brown rooster neck feathers. It looks a bit like a volcano which should please her grandson. It is looking so good. We had a go at doing a taniko for her on her tablet. So hopefully next time we meet she may have started that. 

 Judy's one is coming on and she is nearly up to the top. 

Unfortunately my weaving just hasn't got off the ground yet. And I am so busy at home making things for grandchildren I don't know when I'll get any weaving done. 

But good news this week from Kura Gallery in Wellington that some of my korowai have been sold. And the books have been going well too. So all in all I am happy with weaving even if I haven't been working myself. 

Tuesday Weaving Feb 4th

Judy came today with her big cloak half done.

It is looking great with straight rows and good tension. I am proud of her. Lyann had started a feather row on hers too. We had Jane come today to check us out. I think she may end up sewing a cloak but we could only give her ideas and leave it up to her. She is a bright lady and we hope she comes again. 

First day

Saturday was our first day of weaving for the year. I had not done anything over Christmas and neither had most of the ladies. However one is starting one for her daughter's graduation and has done about three feather rows. It is coming on nicely. Robin Ashton also came with her fantastic muka cloak. It is nearly finished. Every part has a story relating to her whanau so it really will be very very special to them

I am so proud of all the ladies and what they have achieved in the short time they have been weaving. We will be having an exhibition at Matariki this year so that is an incentive for them to get cracking. 

And as for me, I will make a small framed korowai using kereru feathers and then I think I would like to make a big white wedding one with a design in the feathers. Maybe I will do some for hire this year, Dunedin being a University town. 

Weaving Group Ocean View

I am looking forward to a new year of weaving with our group at Ocean View. We learn so much from each other and it really helps to spark ideas off others. Our first day for weaving for the year will be Saturday 1st February. All welcome at the Coast Community Church, Ocean View, Dunedin at 10am to 4pm. $3. Bring your own lunch. New people very welcome. Come to see what we get up to. The cost for a beginners pack is $35, this includes all things you need to make a sample korowai and an instruction booklet. 

We meet on the first Saturday of the month and the first and third Tuesday (from 9 to 12:30). This year we may also start a group at the University in Dunedin. Anyone interested please let me know. 

I am also looking for korowai teaching opportunities anywhere in the South Island. Two or three day workshops are the usual arrangement but we can work something out for schools.  I am happy just to have my travelling expenses and materials covered. So think about getting a group of 10 people together who want to learn to make their own korowai for their whanau. 

Christmas

There have been no posts over Christmas because there has been no weaving going on. But even with lots of visitors my fingers have been keeping nimble with crocheting amigurumi characters for grandchildren. I must admit to looking forward to February and weaving again. 

With the latest lot of family it has been Star Wars characters and I will again have to go to town for more wool. This is getting beyond a joke. 

Octonauts for my grandson in Sydney. 

Some of the figures. 

 

Princess Leia, a jawa and R2D2. Darth Vada and Luke are underway but lacking wool. 

Roll on February. 

Finished at last

Well I have finished this korowai and am very pleased with it. It is 125cm  wide and110cm long. I will take it into the koru gallery in Dunedin today but am willing to sell it for $4,000 myself if anyone is interested. It is all pheasant feathers with homespun wool tags. 

Big cloak

I have changed my mind again and decided on just mawhitiwhiti for the top of the big cloak I am working on. 

I much happier with it now. It is plain enough to not clash with the feathers 

Turning Row

One of my friend's from Whiri Aroha, Ellen, showed me another easy way of explaining the turning row.

Hold the first whenu up (here I am using a double whenu).

Then take the second one from it and twist the first one around the back of the second one. 

Tighten up and carry on. Twist the up one around the back of the next second whenu. 

This can be done as a neatening row for the top of a korowai or as an outline feature either side of mawhiwhiti panels or taniko panels. 

End of Year Weaving Day

Today was the last day for our weaving group for the year.  We had a great exhibition of all our work this year and I was so proud of all our ladies had achieved. It was amazing looking at their work and seeing their excitement at what they had done and to think this is their first year of weaving.  Everyone is so supportive. Sadly many of our ladies couldn't come for various reasons but those who did had a great lunch and went home with goodies. Here are some photos of their work. 

However on further discussion about my big cloak we decided that I should undo the taniko as it was too busy and just do a black and cream taniko like this one. 

So back to work Monday to get that finished next week. 

Thank you all my lovely ladies for a wonderful year. I really have appreciated you, your hard work and your input into my life. 

Big Korowai

I am working on the Taniko at the moment of my big cloak. It is looking good although the pegs holding the tags out of the way look funny. 

I hope to finish this next week so I can get the house ready for family. 

Getting there

I suppose I am more than half way finished this big korowai. Unless of course someone wants to buy a shorter cloak.  I haven't decided what taniko to do on the top yet. If someone does want to buy this cloak I can customise the taniko for them. Just email me. 

We had a good group on Saturday with Robyn Ashton coming along with her muka cloak which is looking magnificent. The other ladies are doing well with their korowai too. Just two more days till we stop for the year. 

New big cloak

This is the latest cloak I have on the go. It has pheasant feathers and tags of homespun black wool. I am pleased with how it is coming on.