Weaving Workshop Whanganui

       Two Fun days of Raranga Harakeke/ Flax weaving

                                         January 23rd & 24th  2010

 Venue    Mt St Joseph’s Retreat Centre 14 Hillside Terrace Whanganui .

 Learn to make      Potae/hats

The focus of this weekend workshop will be making potae/hats .

A harakeke potae is sunsafe and unique. You can make a stylie sun hat in your own design. you will learn many techniques which will assist you to extend your weaving ability.

You can  learn to make kono/ gift basket and  waikawa/ large all purpose basket. Learn to make unique gift baskets from prepared  harakeke.

Harakeke/flax both prepared, dyed and unprepared will be available.

Call 063422920 or email merekeating@gmail.com

Learn the basics. Learn to weave a kono( small basket) from prepared flax. Make up to three kono. Learn about  collecting  and processing harakeke/flax. Take your kono home.

Essential things for a weaving kit to bring with you to start with:

• large sheet clear plastic for wrapping flax in
• sharp knife for cutting flax from plant
• A dozen spring clothes pegs
• A rigid handle putty knife {traditionally a mussell shell is used
• Sharp scissors
• large crochet hook
• large needle
•  Feathers or paua pieces for decorating

  2 day workshop 9am -5pm each day. Learn to process own flax,  make a Potae of own choice of design. Take your potae home

The Waikawa Basket is made from the whole blade . This is a good basket to make from blades taken from Harakeke plant not required for anything else. Ideal for storage. Perfect for keeping vegetables in.

Venue: Mt St Joseph’s Retreat Centre 14 Hillside Terrace Whanganui

Day and Date:  23rd & 24th January 2010

Student Fees:  

2 day workshop: $180.00

Student numbers:  5 – 8

 Prepared and unprepared flax will be provided.

Payment: On registration

Meremade Raranga Harakeke Registration

Name:    ________________________________

Address: ________________________________ 

Date for Workshop your attending:________________________________

Meremade 1 Creek Road Mangamahu Whanganui 4586

Electronic Payment can be made to:

Meremade:

010790-0161481-00  

Ref: raranga                                                                           

Collecting Harakeke/Flax

Collecting Harakeke.

The first thing is to find a suitable supply of harakeke. It grows well in wet conditions. It also grows well in the garden. I have found there is a lot of flax growing around Sydney. In parks and near the beaches. Trimming the plant will keep it free of pests. Harakeke has been used for such a long time that it seems to expect to be looked after by a dedicated weaver.

You can harvest throughout the year however late summer is always the best time. Over the centuries tikanga / culture has developed about the right way to collect harakeke. Do not cut the rito and awhi rito, which is, the new growth consiting of the three leaves in the centre of a fan of harakeke. They are essential to maintain the future of the plant.

                                            

Avoid cutting in the rain as the leaves are more brittle and harder.
Cut the leaves from the inside out from the middle fan and downward as low as possible.

If the butt end is too long after cutting trim, leaving at least 20cm from where the two halves of the leaf are still together.

Clear away any waste material and dispose of in a place where all your waste material can compost.

Learn to weave for yourself – Two days of Flax Weaving Course: Booking Sydney Courses NOW

weave waikawa

 

 

   

  

BOOKING SYDNEY COURSES NOW  

Sept 25th & 26th  Two Day and Oct 2-3–&4th 2010  

Venue TBA  

 CALL 0466 364 054 or email: meremade@flaxweaving.co.nz   

For both Beginners & those already weaving.  

Tutor: Mere Keating from New Zealand.  

* Learn the basics of flax weaving  

* Learn to make a kono (bowl size basket) or a large all -purpose basket  

* Learn to make a rose,  a lily or a tulip.  

* Learn to make a kete or a backpack  

* Learn to make a mat.  

*Learn to make a hat.  

  

Aims  

* To familiarize the learner with the basics of collecting &  processing harakeke/flax ready for weaving by practical application.  

* An opportunity for those with some skill already to revise and make a  kete/bag or whariki/mat.  

 Class outline for  Sydney workshops.  

 2 day workshop 10am -4pm each day. Learn to process own flax,  make a kete of own choice of style & design.  Take your kete home  

3 day workshop 10am-4pm.    

Learn to process own flax,  make a kete of own choice of design.   

Learn to make waikawa,  a no process large general purpose storage basket. The Waikawa Basket is made from the whole blade . This is a good basket to make from blades taken from Harakeke plant not required for anything else. Ideal for storage. Perfect for keeping vegetables in.  

Venue: to be decided  

Day and Date:  Sat Sun Sept 25&26th 2010  

                              Sat-Sun-Mon 2-3&4th Oct 2010  

Student Fees:    

2 day workshop: $300.00  

3 day workshop $450.00  

Student numbers:  5 – 8  

 Prepared and unprepared flax will be provided. Students to bring scissors, 12 strong spring pegs, note book /pen. 

If you are interested in these workshops please  leave a comment .   

Payment: On registration 14 days advance of weaving workshop date.  

  

                                      Ko koe ki tena ko ahau ki tenei kiwa kete  

                “You have that handle of the kete,I have this handle of the kete,   

                                 Let us together uphold the mana of weaving”  

Please register 14days in advance of workshop date

TO ENROLL
COPY /PASTE FORM AND POST TO  PO Box  496 Dulwich Hill Sydney

Tutor           Mere Keating

 Payment or 50% deposit : On registration  

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-  

Meremade Raranga Harakeke Registration   

Name: ________________________________  

Address: ________________________________  

Date for Workshop your attending:________________________________  

Meremade 1 Creek Road Mangamahu Whanganui 4586 New Zealand  

Electronic Payment can be made to:  

Meremade ANZ 010790-0161481-00 Ref: raranga au  

CALL 063422920 or email: meremade@flaxweaving.co.nz 

Please leave a comment 

Beautiful Flax Creations

Fashion Kete

Backpack

Potae /hats

Kete riwai  large open weave all purpose basket

Kete Putea a finer class of basket for holding small articles

Kete Tatahi an all purpose kete

Kete whakairo a patterned and coloured kete

Kete Pure ceremonial kete

The History of Flax Weaving

 

“Aitia te wahine o te pa harakeke”

“Support the woman who is always at the flax bush for she is an expert worker and an industrious person”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Harakeke/Flax

Flax  Fibre  Future

The main flax used for weaving is Phormium tenax, or harakeke, a lowland or swamp flax. It is not a true flax though their fibres are similar it actually belongs to the Lily family.

ITS USE IN TRADITIONAL MAORI LIFE

Throughout human settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand the native harakeke/flax has been of immense importance. For Pre-european Maori muka/fibre from harakeke was a main source for clothing, rope, matting,and containers. The gum and root were known and used widely for their medicinal properties. The sweet nectar from the flowers was also used.

In European times, harakeke/flax formed the basis of a large industry providing local and world markets with rope, fabric and otherfibre products.  The introduction of synthetic fibres in the 1920’s saw the demise of the flax industry although it was still produced industrially until 1980’s.

With the current resurgence in traditional Maori Weaving harakeke is regaining its prominence as a useful plant

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PLANT

Plants are highly variable in their characteristics. There are two species Phormium Tenax known as Harakeke lowland or swamp flax and Phormium Cookianum coastal or mountain flax known as Wharariki.

Harakeke has many dozens of different entities each with its own characteristics, its own specific uses and own names.

Wharariki has soft droopy leaves is strong and used for making green weaving containers and is good for leaners to weave.

Varieties /cultivars were selected by Maori over centuries, for their particular qualities, strength, softness, durability, colour and quantity of fibre. They were cultivated and traded.

It is due to the vision of a few individual people that the knowledge concerning different cultivars that exist now and their uses is being retained. Renee Orchiston Collection.

Discover more about flax here