Jute arapaki 2

After much umming and aahing I have finally decided on these few rows at least. I have a whole bag of these barred feathers but unfortunately most of them are long skinny ones and so I am trying to decide what to do next. As usual I don't have enough of any one thing to keep going. I never seem to be able to get throughly organised before I start. Anyway so far so good. Next week I'll have to decide the next step. I have a few black bundles and a good few white and heaps of skinny barred ones. Any ideas?

Jute arapaki

I have started another bleached jute Arapaki. Yesterday I finally finished the taaniko on the bottom. I used the ordinary knitting and crochet cotton I usually use for the aho and it worked well for the taaniko as long as I tried hard to keep the two strings flat. There are a couple of mistakes I need to fix but generally I'm pleased with it.
Now comes the bit I thought I had sorted out. The 'black and white' feathers I was going to use turned out to be more brown and grey which now I come to think of it is probably normal for natural black and white feathers. So now I need to think again. I hope to do this one completely feathered. Time to rummage in my feather stash.

March Saturday at Ocean View

Just a small group meet this Saturday but we had managed some interesting work. We had one new lady start which was great and she is flying ahead with her first piece.

Then everyone had different things they were working on.

Helen's interesting piece with a long taaniko project. 

Judy working on a twisted rope between mawhitiwhiti patterns. 

Elaine pretty rope effect in taniko on a lovely duck piece

And Lyann deciding what to do next after her marathon taaniko so effective in hand dyed, home spun wool on home spin alpaca whenu. The interesting thing is that we couldn't decide whether to make the taaniko at the top or bottom. Either option would work well. 

And I am finishing my big jute korowai. 

All done. It drapes well because of the shaping. Now to find someone who wants to buy it.

Vicky's masterpiece

What a wonderful surprise this week when one of my Temuka ladies showed me the second piece she has ever made. Her first was learning to weave with me and this is her second.

It is absolutely fabulous. She had made it with the thin Browns Brushware string and used it singly. Something I have never done. So much patience. 560 whenu. What a lot of work. Her rows are lovely and even and the taaniko was wonderful.

Such fine work and so neatly done.  It was very light and hung and moved well.

Interestingly she has used single feathers in the kaupapa or body of the piece.  This helps because I think three feather bundles might have been inclined to poke through. As it is, only small fluffy feathers that can be seen on the back. The feathers are pheasant.
Vicky used a very fine crochet cotton for the aho or weft and for the taaniko she used some silky thread  called Threadline Products knitting silk,  4 ply taaniko weaving thread 110 metre hanks which cost about $16. I must see where we can get that.

I am so proud of her efforts. The pupil has outstripped the master. Well done Vicky. I look forward to seeing your next project.

Alexandra Beginner Course

Twenty one beginners.  Sounded daunting. However I had two very capable helpers. They had not only done a wonderful job of organising the weekend, the participants,  funding, and venue but came as helpers to lift the load. It made the weekend go very smoothly. Thank you Pauline and Tania.
We had some young girls and a young man who joined in enthusiastically. By Sunday afternoon people had finished their pieces and we're ready to go home happy,  their brains buzzing with ideas.

The feedback I got was helpful and I can see two ways to improve the course, so thank you for those helpful suggestions.

The next beginner course will be in May but it is already full.  I also hope to do a 'Tips and Techniques' course later in the year. 

I hope people can say ' A great time was had by all. ' I certainly appreciated meeting new people and passing on what I know. 

Weaving starts again

We had a nice day on Saturday with the usual crew coming out.   Nobody had done much over the holidays so it was all about getting started again. Although Glenda had made a very nice piece as practice.

It is made using the natural jute and a selection of feathers. She has made a lovely job of it. 

I am back into teaching mode again with various courses coming up around the country. I have had enquiries about Christchurch and am penciling in the last weekend in April for a beginner course. So anyone in Christchurch or surrounds that wants to do a korowai beginner course or just to sit in to do your weaving and get any questions asked,  please email me.  robin@softsystems.co.nz.   I can take 12 beginners plus others already weaving who can help if necessary. I will be looking for a venue. 

The other courses will be detailed on my page 'Classes coming up'.

Masterton

Today we arrived in Masterton and it was 32 degrees. I took the Arapaki (shoulder cloak) to the Masterton museum.  Bronwyn was very happy to receive the gift. Here is a photo of her with the Arapaki in front of the original cloak on display. It had been made to raise funds for the men going away to the First World War.
Now they have something that can be used and worn.

Our weaving year starts

Although I'm in Auckland at the moment, I'm thinking about our weaving year starting. The first Saturday in February is on Waitangi day and I can't think of a better Saturday  for our first weaving day for 2016.

First Saturday all day        6th feb
Alexandra weekend.          12 / 14th Feb
Otago museum 2pm.           21st feb


In march I will be taking a weekend in Winton on the 11th to 13th weekend. Anyone interested contact southern REAP.

I'm looking forward to another year of passing on this skill.

Brown jute kakahu

My last post on this cloak was Nov 10th,  and for the last couple of weeks I finally got back to it until this week. This week I got distracted as I finally thought of something to knit for my granddaughters birthdays. And in a day or so we set off for Auckland for a few weeks. I will be able to get string, dolls, brown chook feathers, and cottons so if anyone down south needs anything let me know by email. We are traveling by van so might have room for extra bolts of string etc. I will see if the warehouse has men dolls as I have had a request.

However back to the brown cloak.

I have put shaping into it as I really like that now. There are two areas on this one. Buttocks and shoulders, both different styles so I could try both out. There seems to be no definite one way so it is interesting trying to decide when to put it in. And I am impatient so it makes the cloak shorter, anyway it's big enough. I have decided the best way of thinking about them is that you are putting in a bulge. Which is why they don't lie flat but they are snug when put on a person. 

There are a couple of rows of tags at the top, with a row of longer feathers and then the fancy double pair twining like near the bottom. Am considering doing a couple of rows of Mawhitiwhiti before the turn, probably to put a tie through. 

I have also packed up several of my kakahu to go north. I've been rolling them in sheet around a stuffed core. Seems to work wellas the feathers are all kept neatly down, though I don't know what to do if I had flicked up feathers. 

New year's greetings

A new year and new adventures.

 But the finish of the old has brought the finish of the Masterton museum Arapaki.

I have really enjoyed using the jute string especially this fine stuff. The top has several rows of Mawhitiwhiti (crossed warps) and a plaited top turnover. There are several plain rows at the back before another turning row so that there are no strings loose at the back. The kereru feathers are not the best to work with but that was what the original one had. I tried to makeep this Arapaki along the lines of one they showed me in the museum. I have changed it a bit so it is not a real copy. Here is the one I saw.

I do hope they accept this gift and it gets used occasionally. 

May you all have a wonderful year ahead. 

Masterton museum arapaki

I have finally got back to doing the Kereru Arapaki for the Masterton museum gift. It's coming on slowly. This time I thought I would try a different way of doing the shaping. I like trying different things on cloaks as I learn things by trying them out.

I have done the shaping before from the middle ie short rows that cover the middle of the row and subsequent short rows get wider towards the edges.  But this time I tried the other way round, which I had seen on some old cloaks in the Museums.
The first short row is wide and the next starts in a bit further.

It will be interesting to see what difference this makes to the feel of the cloak on your shoulders.

I need to get it finished but will have to wait till after Christmas now. It really seems to be an 'on again off again' piece of work.

Finished.

After nearly 40 hours work I have finished this Arapaki (shoulder cape). I am happy with it. I hope the recipient is too. The shaping has made it less rectangular but it feels right and should sit well.

 The storage of Korowai is a difficult question that I haven't found a satisfactory answer to yet. However one of the ways the museum uses for storing their old cloaks is by suspending them rolled up on padded poles. As this cloak is smooth with all the feathers lying down I thought I would try this method to send the cloak away. So I padded a pole with a bit of stuffing and the rolled the cloak on it in acid free paper. Then made some polystyrene ends to suspend the pole on in the box.
I'll get some more bubble wrap and another box before sending it off but we are nearly there.

Top finishes

We decided on a combination. Black/brown twist with cream aho in the mawhitiwhiti. Just a bit more to do. Nearly finished.

Finishing ideas for commission

I have been thinking about what to do at the top of the commission cloak. Trying out ideas by starting the rows.
Firstly just plain. Well sort of plain with the aho cotton (warp) being the same colour as the whenu (weft). The mawhitiwhiti is whale's tail pattern.

Then I tried the twist in brown/orange and black with black aho. 

Now I am wondering if the twist with plain aho might be better. Anybody got any comments? The twist takes a lot of effort but is effective. Is an old technique I have seen on cloaks in museums. 

Shaping

I have found that a little shaping really does make the korowai feel better and sit nicer. So on the last few cloaks I have made I have endeavored to put in some shaping.

On this small cloak I have done a partial row of plain stitching after a full feather row,  then a bit wider partial row with feathers. Then I have carried on with a full plain row, feather row etc.  The cloak is now a little wider in the middle than the sides. It won't be noticed when worn but hopefully will make it nicer to wear. You can just see the extra rows on the back. The third and fourth rows are shorter.

This is coming on nicely and hopefully will be finished in the next few weeks. Just one more row of feathers I think then some mawhitiwhiti. 

17 hours

Seventeen hours work and my commission work measures 98x19cm.  Target length is 30 cm and I have all the feathers required for the last few rows bundled.  Then some mawhitiwhiti and turning etc.

But tomorrow is my day off,  to rest my eyes, my brain and my bottom.

Commission

I've just started doing a commission for a lady in Perth. I am amazed at how quickly it is coming together. Two days were spent on feathers and now two days on weaving and I'm a third of the way there. It's an Arapaki so only 30 cm deep.

The pheasant feathers, especially the blue tips look lovely. 

I'm listening to Philippa Gregory's book 'The Kingmaker's Daughter' while I'm weaving to help me concentrate.  May seem odd but it keeps me going and not wandering off to do something else, like housework or the garden.  Although today I did have to go into Dunedin to get the groceries. And I relax at night by crocheting or knitting. 

Hākui exhibition, Otago Museum

Four of us from our weaving group were able to go to the opening of the Hākui exhibition.  There were heaps of people and it was great to be part of the crowd. We saw some people wearing cloaks,  including two friends from Temuka. They had determined that they would make something to wear to this exhibition opening and to the hui-a-Iwi on this weekend. And they both achieved very innovative cloaks. So proud of them. They also opened our eyes to different ideas in cloaks. They were very different and showed a very exciting and edgy look.

Donna wearing her wonderful design. 

My albatross one looked quite ordinary.  I am definitely going to try some more interesting ideas. Thanks girls for teaching me. 

Been busy

As I didn't get a lot done on Saturday I have applied myself for the last three days and managed to get a bit done.

Saturday

Monday was spent finishing the last feather row and getting the fancy decoration done on top.  6 rows

Tuesday

Wednesday

Gradually it grows although I have had various people applying for a commission so I'd better get on with this while I can.   Must give my fingers a rest though or I won't be able to crochet.

Our last Saturday for the year

Thursday I took the big albatross korowai in to give to the Otago museum director.  There were very kind words said about it and I think everyone was happy with the gift.  As usual I forgot to get a photo of him in the cloak,  but I hope it will be worn at the opening of the Haakui exhibition in a few weeks so hope to remember then. I was gifted a beautiful book for which I am very grateful and some tickets to the butterfly house at the museum which will come in handy with family.

We had a lovely day on Saturday to finish our Saturday weaving for the year.  There were four up from Invercargill,  which is very encouraging for us.   Robyn Ashton brought some harekeke and there was a lot of discussion and practice in making muka.  We had a lovely shared lunch.  There was also a lot of mutual sharing of information and we all learned something. I found another decorative feature to have a go at in one of the books.  I look forward to using it on a cloak soon.
There are a few more Tuesdays and one more Sunday afternoon at the Museum next weekend.

On the first Saturday in December we will be at Balclutha with a stall in the craft market to let people know about weaving and encourage interest.

Next year is shaping up to be busy with teaching opportunities.  Easter looks like a beginners group up at Napier and there will be six or seven weekends in Southland towns. Our family hopes to do a bit more travelling overseas next year as well so if there are small groups around who want to learn to weave korowai get in touch as soon as possible so we can book dates.

I have started another big cloak using bleached jute string with brown and cream feathers from Lyann's rooster pelts.  Also the Arapaki for the Masterton museum is coming along although I have run out of kereru feathers.  I have applied to DoC for some more so hopefully I'll be able to finish that before traveling up to Auckland in January.  Lots of ideas for new skills, decorations and ideas have been keeping me awake at night.  On the brown/cream one of like to try vertical side taaniko panels if I can figure out how to add them and deal with the leftover whenu ends. Anyone got the answer? I'm not wanting to do the taaniko as I go but to do it sideways and add  it later.