Threads Article

Hi all...

I'm excited to say that I have an article in the current issue of Threads. It is on Facing Alternatives.

It should be on the news stands now.

Workshop: Maori Flax Weaving

Bev led a workshop on the Maori art of Flax Weaving. In one morning, she had taught us how to choose the stalks of the New Zealand Flax plant, prep them, and weave or braid a variety of flowers.

As an instructor of Textiles, I found the process fascinating. It was much simpler than I expected, and Bev's instructions were thorough and clear. She recommended a book called Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax by Ali Brown. It is clearly illustrated and simple to follow. Check the web site for more information on the techniques at www.alibrown.co.nz




Here you can see Bev teaching us how to select proper stalks of the plant.

Now, we are seeing how to use your thumbnail to remove the spine and split the leaf of the plant into strips.

The split strips become warp threads for the weaving.

Below you can see the steps of weaving of a hibiscus. (I'm hoping my textile students can see this, as we just studied plain weave)

Here is the final Hibiscus.

Next we used a braiding technique used to create a Koru.

Next, is the technique for creating a rose.

and my final two flowers..

Below you see a bouquet of the various flowers I made.

One can dye the dried flax if desired, as seen below.

Here we have a bouquet that Bev made. Betty was the lucky winner in the raffle that was held.


This was a great workshop, and now that I'm back home, I'm planning to add a couple of more flax plants to my garden. I'll vary the colors so that my bouquets have greater variety. Thanks Bev for sharing.

New Zealand Fiber Arts Workshop #1: Paverpol T-shirt Doll

Upon my arrival to Napier, I walked straight off the plane into the first workshop at the Deco Belle Fiber Workshop in New Zealand.


Janet Stuart was teaching a technique called Paverpol Sculptures. This is a technique whereby you turn T-shirts into Garden Sculptures.

The lady to the right is a work in progress. She will soon be given a book or flowers in her hands. Janet used a printed silk scarf to create her skirt. This allowed the sculpture to have a patterned dress.



Meet Janet Stuart, the workshop leader.




Basically, you begin by bending wire to form the body for your figure. You can use a Styrofoam ball to help form the head. Once you have the body shape formed with your wire, you wrap the entire thing with aluminum foil strips. This is my doll below.

And here is Betty's doll.

Then, you take fabric t-shirt strips and soak them in paverpol, which is a special white glue. You can color it with pavercolor or grout coloring if you like. The fabric strips will stick to the aluminum foil.

I gave my doll a funky hair treatment as you can see.

Once you have the body wrapped, you can then drape more strips onto the figure to create her clothing. Here you can see several figures formed by members of the workshop.


Here is my doll... a funny thing happened. On the left you see her as I draped her clothing and planned to let her dry. The wind decided to get involved, and when she was drying, she fell over. So... she now has a crazy, crazy skirt that lifts up in the back, and actually, I like it better. Funny how that works.

Here are some of Janet's "in-process" sculptures... amazing, yes?



All that is left, is to paint the doll, and then let her dry. She will be fine outside in my yard.

If you would like to learn more about this technique, check out the following book and website.
Book: From T-shirt to Garden Statue by Jossy de Roode. www.paverpol.com

Technique: Creative Shibori-Style Sewn Shawls

This summer I designed and created shawls for all the bridesmaids in my son’s wedding. California evenings can get cool (as even though we are on the coast, it is still desert weather). So, given that the bridesmaids were wearing spaghetti-strapped dresses, I thought it would be wise for them to have a shawl.

So, while traveling this summer, I watched for interesting designs, and in the end, I combined a few ideas I had seen in Italy.

The idea was to create a type of ‘smocked shibori” effect. I achieved this by placing a pearl bead on the underside of the shawl, and wrapping the fabric around it. I also used a square of organza on the top, to add a little interest. I called my shibori effect the ‘doo-dahs”.



Thanks to Stephanie, one of my students, for modeling this for me.



Here are the steps:
1. Cut two rectangles of fabric, equal to the length and width you want your shawl. I used two subtle colors of silk satin, a flesh color and a light cappuccino.
2. Cut two-inch square of silk organza in one or two contrast colors. The amount of contrast is up to you.
3. Cut and sew the shawls to completion. These are two rectangles, sewn together, turned, pressed and hand-stitched to close the opening.
4. Plan how many doo-dahs you want on each end of the shawl.
5. Space-plan the layout of the doo-dahs. I made a paper template, as I had a total of eight shawls to make (six for the bridesmaids, one of the bride’s mom and one for me).
6. Using chalk or a marking pencil, mark the placement of the doo-dahs on the wrong side of each end of a shawl.
7. Place the pearl under a mark on the wrong side. Take a small safety pin and pierce it through a square of organza. Then, go through the two layers of the silk shawl, and run the pin through the pearl bead. Come back up to the top and come through the organza again, and then close the pin. This secures all things so that they don’t’ slide around.



8. Repeat until you have all the doo-dahs secured.

9. Now, take matching sewing thread and thread a fairly fine hand-sewing needle.
10. Anchor the thread about 3/8” away from the center of the organza. Now, pinch the fabric through all layers so that the organza square and silk wrap around the bead.
11. Take your sewing thread and wrap around the doo-dah. You can secure this with a couple of stitches, as necessary to hold the binding.
12. Repeat.


Here you can see another shot of the finished shawl.

Trachtenwerkstatt, Wattens, Tirol, Austria

Meet and Sabine Lintner and Christine Miller. These two young women recently opened the Trachtenwerkstatt in Wattens, Austria, which translate to Traditional Costume workshop. Sabine trained in a fashion program and then worked for a clothing manufacturer. Christine worked with a tailor and learned her skills there. Together the two have founded a business and only recently moved it to a storefront operation in Wattens, a small town in Tirol, a district of Austria near the German border.



The Trachtenwerkstatt specializes in the design and construction of authentic traditional Austrian costume, from the region of Tirol. In addition to creating new garments, using traditional styles and techniques, they also repair and rework ensembles that need repair.

Sabine and Christine were amazingly gracious and willing to share. They showed me many of their techniques and had prepared samples for me to bring back to my students in San Diego. In addition, Sabine demonstrated, step-by-step a trim technique knows as Rosenrueschen (which means ruched rose). See the technique in another blog entry.

Christine, the tailor, showed me an example of the traditional leiderhosen, and I got to examine its construction, particularly the trim, and how one gets into the garment and fastens it. She even put it on for me, as you can see from the pictures. This leiderhosen and shirt belong to Christine’s husband, ad she tailored it for him.



A traditional woman’s ensemble from Tirol would consist of the following: (sorry, I don’t know the correct German name)
Blouse- This was made of linen, and cut rather short (waist-length). Necklines varied a little, as did the sleeve. Some sleeves were fuller, and some had smocking/pleating at the top of the cap.

Dress – The woman’s dress consisted of a bodice attached to a skirt.
The sleeveless bodice itself did not meet at center front. Rather, it has beautiful metal lacing clasps, stitched to each side the front. The style of the metal clasp was specific for the region, as was the number (seven pairs) used on the bodice. An insert of fabric, a latz, is finished and embroidered, would be placed in the center front opening, prior to lacing, and then the bodice would be laced to fit the wearer and the insert would be held in place. The lace in this area is red, which is also significant. The back of the bodice had structural seams (we would call them a princess seam), that were defined and covered with a velvet ribbon. This also was very specific and traditional to the region.

The skirt was made of two rectangles. A pleating tape (called gabelin) is used on the inside top of the skirt to help the seamstress know where to baste, to create the wonderful parallel gathers. (see the Technique in a separate blog). The fine pleating was not done all the way around the waist. The center front of the garment used several larger pleats.. To facilitate getting in and out of the garment, Sabine has utilized a zipper, which is not traditional, but functional for today’s use. A slit and pocket is inserted into the font of the skirt, and this will not be seen under the apron, which is the next garment. At the hem, they must have 1-2 mm. of red wool fabric peek from the underside (as this is distinctive to this region). In other regions the amount is different, or the red band may also

Apron – The apron is very much a part of the costume. A long rectangular piece of fabric is pleated onto a waistband. The wearer ties the apron over her skirt. She will communicate her marital status by where she ties the bow of the apron. Where the bow of the apron’s tie band.
Bow on the Left – she is an unmarried girl
Bow on the Right – she is married
Bow at Center – she is a widow






The information I gained at the Trachtenwerstatt was excellent. I was so impressed with the workshop and work of Christine and Sabine; they are keeping tradition alive and doing it with an energy and joy that is evident.

Visit them at www.trachtenwerkstatt.com