Bands for the boys (and girls)
12 November 2007
I ran my first flax weaving workshop for “at-risk” teenagers last weekend, and was a little nervous before the workshop, because I wasn’t sure that all the participants were coming to the workshop entirely of their own free will, and if they weren’t it might have made for an uneasy atmosphere. I needn’t have worried — it went off well.
I decided that wristbands would probably be good to weave, as both boys and girls might find a use for them and they would easily be able to get them finished in the time we had.
The wristbands are made with a strip of flax which is long enough to go around a wrist about four times. One end of the strip is wound around twice into a circle that is just big enough to fit over a hand and secured at this point (with, for example, a paper staple). The free end is split into strips of an even width and a separate weaving strip is woven through. The simple wristband pictured here has the strips split into three strips of the same width, and a separate strip the same width is laid across them, going over the outside strips and underneath the middle one.
The two outer strips are then folded back and the weaving strip is taken through the middle of the wristband and laid over across the top again. The two outer strips are now folded forward, the middle one folded back and the weaving strip taken through the middle of the wristband and around over the top again. These weaving steps are repeated around the wristband.
When the strips have been woven all the way around, the ends of the strips are woven back into the start of the wristband. Any other ends are threaded through the inside of the wristband and cut off. If the wristband is not quite circular, it can be pushed down over a glass or jar until it fits tightly which will help it dry into a circular shape.
During the workshop the participants shared some of their own experiences with flax and weaving. A Tongan lad had used coconut palm leaves for weaving in his homeland. A Māori lad told how he used the gel from the flax leaf as a skin repair ointment. This gel is the sticky substance that glues the bottom part of the leaf together and is found when the two sides of the leaf are pulled apart. (Not all flax varieties contain appreciable quantities of gel, but most do). I was already aware that the gel was used in traditional Māori medicine (and is also used to glue two or three feathers together when they are woven into a traditional feather cloak), but for some reason I’ve never tried out the gel on skin cuts myself. However, after this personal recommendation about its effectiveness, I certainly will try it.
The wristbands are fun to make and you can make up your own patterns by weaving different numbers of strips into different sequences or by using one or more different-coloured weaving strips.
May 24th, 2008 at 10:15 am
congratulations for taking on these kids and giving them the chance to make something for themselves that is not costly. also think that it would give them a connection to the past, be they maori or european it will have made a difference to how they think.
June 9th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hi Ali, a couple of years ago I was taught to weave a kete. it wasn’t the muka plait but it started with 4 strips an then one at a time new sinistrals and dextrals were added until you have the required length. you then weave the required height, bring in the sides finish the top and bottom. what is this way of weaving called? and is there a step by step pamphlet or book showing how to weave like this.
I look forward to your reply.
thanks Lynn
June 9th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Hi Lynn
I’m not quite sure from your description about the method you’ve used although it does sound like you may have twined the strips together in a row to start. In this method, you twine all the strips together in a row, weave up for three rows and then join the edges so that a cylinder is formed. Is this how you started? If so, sorry but I don’t know of any book that has this method.
July 6th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Hi Ali, is the join on a whariki the same as a double lock off. What an awesome page
July 7th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Hi Wiki
A whariki can be joined in different ways so it depends on the finish you want. Joining the whariki with a double lock will result in a ridge in the weaving. Another way to join is by laying a new strip over the strip that is about to run out and pushing the end of the new strip under the strips that have crossed over the old one. Continue weaving until the new strip is crossed by about four strips altogether. Now weave the end of the old strip in by turning it down at a right angle and it will be secured in as you continue weaving. This method results in a flatter join and is secure if the old and new strips are worked together for a while like this.
July 20th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
kia ora for that Ali i have a week off work so shall do this. I think your page is really awesome.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Wonderful site, have just started to teach the kids in my class and they are loving it.Many thanks
January 11th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Hi Ali, thank you so much for producing such a beautiful and informative website. Your careful and easy to follow instructions on all aspects of the flax weaving art are great and have helped me hugely.
however i do have one problem, i made a wristband similar to the one described above by following your instructions but i wasn’t sure how to prepare the flax properly i think and the day after i made it it had shrunk and the weave was out of place and unsightly. how can i stop this happening?
thank you again.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Hi Tristan
The strips do need to be softened with a knife before you weave them, as I show on the Preparing flax page on this web site. This softens the flax which make it easier to weave and also removes some of the moisture content which makes it less likely to shrink. Keep the strips tightly pulled together as you weave and push the finished band over a glass or round shape as it dries which will also help to keep the shape.
If you still have the problem, the other thing you can do is to leave the flax to dry out a little after you’ve split and softened the strips. The flax will become a bit more leathery and will still be pliable enough to weave with.
Let me know how you get on.
January 13th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
thankyou so much ali. that worked brilliantly, the shrinking has been minimal after softening with the knife. they look great now,i will let them dry on a glass too and see how that works. oh yh and i made a tiny putiputi and then wove it into one of the wristbands that i made too, which looked really good. thanks again.
January 14th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Hi Tristan
I’m pleased to hear it went well for you and the tiny flower idea sounds good too.
I also think these wristbands would work well if different coloured weaving strips were used to create the patterns.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
I recon they would look sweet too, however, i cannot buy any dyes at the moment, and i tried to dye some flax in mud but it didnt work very well at all. could you give me any pointers on how to dye flax effectively using natural dyes please or direct me to a source from where i can learn. thank you again ali.
February 26th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Hi Tristan
I haven’t done much in the way of using natural dyes although I have read a bit. I do know that you’d need to use a mordant, or something that makes the flax receptive to the dye, if you are using mud. Tannin is a mordant for this, I think, and tea bags have tannin in them. I’m not sure if this works or not but you could have a go at soaking some boiled flax in tea leaves and then try the mud. I think the mud could be the sort of mud that has a lot of leaf and plant debris that has broken down in it. An experienced weaver once told me that the mud I had in the bottom of my fish pond looked like the right sort of mud, and that had a lot of plant debris in it, but I never tried it as a dye.
Walnut husks that are around walnut shells are a good source of black dye too, and they are ready about now. Let me know how you get on.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 pm
How do you use the dye from walnut husks? Do you leave the flax in the pot with the husks or do you boil the husks first then dye the flax seperately?
April 6th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Hi Donna
I’ve never used walnut husks but from what I read on the internet, the husks are soaked in water for a few days and the water is then strained off and used as the dye. I suggest you Google using the search term ‘walnut husks dye’ (but don’t use the quotation marks) as quite a few people have written about their own use of walnut husks to make black dye.
June 14th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Love your site! Can you provide instructions for weaving a flax fish? Many thanks
August 18th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Ali,
I have bought your latest book on flowers and would like to know if you have any objections to me using it at school to demonstrate making flowers. I do understand copyright and all but it will save me doing a new set of photos and I think your illustrations are wonderful. I don’t know whether you remember me - I was with a group of ladies in Christchurch with the Oscar Conference Group. I’m originally from Kiribati. Love your book. Louisa
August 18th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Hi Louisa
Yes I do remember you from the Oscar Conference. It’s nice to hear from you. Yes you may use my book to demonstrate making flowers at your school. Happy weaving.
August 28th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Hi Ali,
I have just completed four Wednesdays talking and showing a juniour school all about weaving. They have loved every minute of the weaving! It was very hard to find projects for little ones that they can complete but just creating a twist and tying fish (from flax) onto a line has generated interest. Your book came in handy when demonstrating making flowers. Thank you Ali. Have you got your book on making baskets yet?
August 31st, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Hi Louisa
Nice to hear from you. Sounds like you have been busy. I’ve recently completed a 2-day creative workshop for a primary school too.
The ages ranged from 5 years to 11 years so I chose three different projects for the different age levels and, as I only had three-quarters of an hour for each group, the projects needed to be small. The new entrants made snakes, or Taniwhas and then decorated them with felts, the older children made small mats and flowers and the oldest children made wristbands. They all seemed to enjoy it, as yours did.
The proposed book on making baskets will be a while away yet and, as it took me much longer to complete Weaving Flowers from New Zealand flax than I had predicted, I’m hesitant to make any predictions about any other books.
September 19th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
hello ali
i dont understand the laid aver across the top bit and i cant seem to macke it work
is there an easier way to explain this ???
thanks,
completely stuck
September 20th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Hi there
Sorry the directions aren’t clear for you.
If you look at the second picture, you will see the weaving strip coming out through the middle of the wristband at the top left of the photo. It is the top one of the two strips that are pointing out to the left. Take that top strip and bend it back to the right over the top of the wristband. Place it so that is sitting just above the folds of the two vertical strips that have been folded back. You will see it is also sitting over the top of the middle strip. Hold it tightly in place and then fold the middle strip back and the two outer strips forward, as they are shown in the third photo. Then fold the weaving strip through the centre of the wristband and over the three strips again. Now fold the centre strip forward again and fold the two outer strips back. Repeat these steps.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you need any more assistance.
Ali
December 10th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Hello Ali
Umm, I am sorta stuck on doing this. Is there an easier way that I could understand? I think that it si a littel bit too hard for me…
Thanks!!
December 15th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hi Harriet
Can you tell me how far you get before you get stuck and I’ll give you some more step-by-step instructions which should help.
July 8th, 2010 at 12:08 am
Hi Ali,
My friend and I (12 & 13) are weaving lots of flax creations, and selling them door-to-door to raise money for our trip to Australia at the end of the year. Anyway - we were wondering if you could post instructions on how to weave a whole flax basket, because we can’t find any on google. Thanks.
Charlotte
P.S Thanks to you and your site, your other instructions have been a great help, especially the bracelets, Brooke Loves them! Thanks once again!
July 8th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Hi Brookie and Charlotte
I’m glad you’ve found the instructions on the web site useful. I currently don’t have written instructions for a basket but you can find instructions for a simple basket in the book Maori Weaving by Erenora Puketapu-Hetet which should be available from your local library. Check out my Reviews page for information on this book.
Good luck with your fund-raising!