Flax on the brain
16 January 2010
I’ve really enjoyed reading the many letters, emails and blog comments that other weavers have sent me since I published my book. It’s fascinating to read about people’s weaving experiences and to see photos of their work, especially when it’s something I haven’t tried myself, such as weaving flax head-gear.
The photos I’ve used on this blog post were sent to me by Lesley Jenkins and Wayne Boniface of Norfolk Island. These beautifully-woven and decorated hats are made in a traditional Norfolk Island weaving style. Norfolk Island doesn’t have much in the way of weaving material so the islanders use what they can, including banana tree bark, corn husk, drain flax (this is not Phormium tenax, it looks like bullrush to me), Moo-oo, or Cyperus Iucidus and palm leaf.
Lesley and Wayne use pandanas and Moo-oo which they gather from the cliffs around Norfolk Island. As with many plants used for weaving, Moo-oo has razor edges which are stripped off. It’s then left to dry out for about ten days before use. The traditional method is to plait the material into one long flat strip, which is then wound around and sewn into a hat shape. Lesley and Wayne have used a variety of different styles of flowers to decorate their hats in attractive ways.
Another email I received recently was from Greta Nicholson, who enlisted the help of her son to make a video that shows her way of making roses. Greta’s rose is made with one thin strip of flax which is folded in half and and then folded up concertina-like as if making a paper streamer. Greta calls this a small rose and says it’s best to make it with thin, soft flax. I suggest the flax is softened first before making this flower. I made the ones illustrated here with strips about 1.5 cm wide which I folded 10-12 times each way before pulling the soft strip through. Pull the strip through slowly and be careful as it reaches the top so that you don’t start pulling other side of the strip through. I agree with Greta that they can be a bit haphazard in appearance but they are easy and fun to make.
It’s very gratifying to hear that the book has inspired or reinvigorated people’s interest in weaving. Mina Timutimu of Whakatane writes:
I received your contact details from a colleague and have read your book hence the request to purchase same. We live in a remote rural area with access to flax of good quality because the community take good care of the resource and make sure that it is cleaned regularly. Your directions are easy to follow in fact the book is beautifully presented. As a result we have commenced weekly raranga (weaving) which have become very popular, not only with floral but incorporting kete, whariki, (mat), kete whakairo (intricate patterened kete) by experienced tutors.
It’s especially nice to hear that the book works for children and beginners as well as experienced weavers. Ruth from Cambridge writes: “… some of our 4 year olds (I work in an early childhood centre) can even follow the pictures,” and Bev from Opotiki mentions that … ” your diagrams are so great that she was making the flowers using diagrams only.”
Writing a book can be such a long-winded, solitary business that it’s great to get feedback, and all the positive feedback has inspired me to extend and update it at some point soonish. 
One of the additions will be a flax pohutukawa flower which I recently created for Miss World New Zealand 2009, Magdalena Schoeman, to wear in her hair in the Miss World Pageant in South Africa. It took a while to figure out how to make the pohutukawa and I don’t currently have written instructions for it, but it will certainly feature in the updated version of the book. I was notoriously wrong in my predictions about how long it would take to publish the first version of the book, so I’m not making any predictions about when the updated version will be published! 
Addition 27 Jan 2010
I was delighted when Wayne offered to make one of his hats for me. The hat was delivered to me recently and fits perfectly. It’s beautifully made and I especially like the pretty edge on the brim of the hat. Thank you very much, Wayne!
January 19th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Hi Ali
Thank you so much for the pohutukawa flower that you made for Magdalena. Your flower made it easy to explain that her traditional costume was representing this unique New Zealand flower.
Riana Schoeman
January 20th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Hi Ali
I have been a fan of yours for sometime now and have been wanting to tell you how much I enjoy your website! I’m of Pitcairn descent and as a young girl on the island was taught to weave traditional Pitcairn baskets from Pandanus leaves. I now live in Wellington and for the past few years have been experimenting and weaving with harakeke. Results have been quite pleasing.
For Christmas I was given a copy of your book which I just love - am hoping to learn how to make flowers to decorate my baskets!
I was very excited to read your blog and see the beautiful hats made by my friends, Lesley and Wayne from Norfolk Island. I’m the proud owner of two of Wayne’s hats - decorated with roses and arun lilies that he made using instructions from your book.
Thank you for sharing your many brilliant ideas.
Kind regards
Leona
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:08 am
Hi Leona
It’s nice to hear from you Leona and your change from using pandanus leaves to flax leaves for weaving. Lately I’ve been experimenting with different types of materials for weaving but I always come back to flax, both because of its availability and its versatility.
June 6th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Hi Ali I have just transferred $31.00 into your bank account for a copy of flax flowers book can you email me for my address as I have trouble emailing out, per chance would you have instructions on doing zigzag stick or stalk I have seen in some floral bouquets or button holes?? Thank you Sadie
June 6th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Hi Sadie
I’m not sure what you mean by the zigzag stalk. Do you have any photos you could send me or a link that you could send me that shows the stalks?
June 26th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Ali would you be please be able tell me is there a way to keep tension tight when doing a kete. I have it nice tight and even but when I turn inside out it becomes loose and can see thru. I dont know if it is the way I turn it inside out or not keeping tension tight enough,but when weaving I dont have it loose.I would be very grateful for any tips you could give me. Thank you for your help.
June 27th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Hi Diane
Although it’s difficult to assist you without seeing the weaving, there may be a couple of things that could help you. I assume you’re making a cylinder first, then weaving the base together, then turning the weaving inside out, which is actually the right side out.
One thing that may help is if you have used twining to start your cylinder, keep this twining in place before you turn the weaving, and even put another row of twining around the top of the weaving to make sure it is secure, before you turn the weaving inside out.
The looseness may also may depend on the type of way you are completing the bottom of the kete. As there are several different ways to do this, it’s difficult for me to suggest anything here, as I don’t know which way you are doing this. Have a look at this yourself and see if you think this may be contributing to the slackness in the tension and see if there is any way you can tighten it up in this area.
Another thing that may help is to make sure your strips are not too moist when you use them to start with.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.
July 10th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Hi Ali,
Could you please send me a copy of your book.
Cheers
Jo
July 10th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Hi Jo
To purchase a book, please deposit $31 for the book plus postage and packaging into the bank account I show on my Book page, and email me your postal address. I’ll post the book to you as soon as the payment shows up in my bank account.