Philippine Mats Part 3

This stripper is made wide enough for inserting teeth three widths apart, so that without adjusting these teeth three widths of straw may be cut. By changing the teeth in the adjustable gums, any width desired may be obtained.

It is best to make this apparatus of hard wood, especially the piece represented by Fig. A. A is a block of wood 23 cm. by 4 cm. by 4 cm., containing the groove XY. This groove is the size and shape of C, being 2.5 cm. wide at the top, 1.5 cm. at the bottom, and 3 cm. high. C is one of the blocks which slides in the groove XY. These blocks are made of different thicknesses, about 2, 3, and 4 mm., and are of hard wood or metal. The rod B pa.s.ses through these blocks and tightens on the block D or X by means of a thumb screw. Z is a wooden roller 19 cm. long and 1.5 cm. in diameter. This should extend 2 mm. below the level of the main surface. It is placed in a groove made in a separate piece of wood from the princ.i.p.al block and is fastened into the princ.i.p.al block by means of screws.

The teeth (see C) are made of clock springs or other thin sharp metal. They are 3 cm. long and 1 cm. to 1 1/2 cm. wide. The two upright pieces at both ends contain grooves on the inside in which the block-head slides up and down.

To operate this device, the block-head containing the teeth is raised by the handle; the leaf is placed under the teeth, and the block-head is dropped. The teeth pa.s.s through the leaf into a groove underneath. The leaf is now pulled through by the hand as ill.u.s.trated in Plate VI.

KINDS OF WEAVES.

With respect to their weaving, Philippine mats divide themselves into six groups and are here arranged according to their difficulty. They are (1) the over and under weave found in most simple mats, such as those made of buri straws, pandan straws, and sedges; (2) the sawali weaves, which employ the floating straws for making "woven in"

designs and panels for figured sabutan and tikug mats; (3) the open work weaves of the Romblon buri mats; (4) the circular mats which employ the hat weaves, either with or without "woven in" designs; (5) the hexagonal weave; and (6) the embroidered mats in which the designs are later added. In difficulty, and in place in a course of instruction, embroidered mats follow the simple over and under weave.

Over-and-Under Weave.

This weave is the simplest and is the one which beginners should first take up. It is made by weaving over one and under one continuously. Until this is thoroughly mastered children should not be allowed to begin the more difficult weaves.

The steps have been diagrammed in figures sufficiently large and clear in Plates VII, VIII, and IX that a detailed explanation is not necessary. Step 1 shows the position of the first four straws as they are placed upon the table or desk; steps 2, 3, 4, and 5, continued additions and weaving; steps 6, 7, and 8, turning the edge a on the end of the mat; step 9, turning the opposite edge c; step 10, the double turn of the corner straw; step 11, the corner turn woven in the mat at corner No. 1, lapping over the straw already woven; step 12, the continuation of the second edge b; step 13, the turning of the second and third corners; and steps 14 and 15, finis.h.i.+ng the mat.

In weaving large mats, it is customary to begin at one end of the mat, preferably near the left-hand corner as the mat lies before the weaver. The weaving continues along the end until half of the desired width of the mat is reached, when the first corner is turned. Now the weaving continues down the side and in, as far as the middle of the mat. When the desired length is woven, the second corner is turned and the first half of the mat completed.

As the straws are not generally long enough without splicing, new straws are now added by lapping them from two to three inches upon the projecting ends of the straws already woven. This makes a narrow strip of double thickness down the center running the length of the mat. The weaving now continues as before until the desired width of the mat is attained, when the third corner is turned. The remainder is woven and finished at the fourth corner as shown by steps 14 and 15.

Some weavers begin at the sides, and some few, even at the corners; but this should not be encouraged since it results in making two or more seams, where the straws lap.

Care must be taken to weave all parts of the mat equally close and keep the edges perfectly straight; otherwise the mat when finished will be lop-sided, and consequently of no value. In weaving tapering gra.s.ses like tikug, which have ends of slightly different sizes, the opposite ends of the straws should be alternated. This prevents one edge of a mat from building faster than the other.

Sawali Weaves.

Simple Sawali.

By sawali weave is meant all "woven in" designs that are not woven by ones as in the over and under weave. They may be woven regularly by twos, threes, etc.; or they may "switch" the floating straws so as to form a variety of artistic figure designs. In fact, there is no limit to the number of designs that may be thus made.

Steps 1 and 2 ill.u.s.trate the beginning of a sawali weave by twos. First 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are laid down; then c is put under 1-2, over 3-4, and under 5; d over 1, under 2-3, and over 4-5; e over 1-2, under 3-4, and over 5. This process is continued, advancing one straw each time until the desired amount is woven. If the weaving is by threes or fours, the same principle is followed; that is, the straw goes over three and under three, advancing one straw each time.

Panels.

Most "woven in" mat designs are arranged in panels, with a ground between, as this gives a more pleasing effect than a continuous figure weaving. Panels may be woven either length-wise (step 8), crosswise (step 8), diagonally across the mat (step 4), or in zigzags (step 3). They are most easily woven when arranged diagonally, for then the colors may be carried from border to border without mixing with the ground outside of the panel. Checks are made by weaving cross panels at regular intervals.

In making parallel panels (panels parallel either to the sides or ends), more than two colors can rarely be used to advantage.

Step 3 ill.u.s.trates the weaving of a zigzag sawali panel. The straws, a, b, k, and l are woven by ones. It takes twelve straws one way and nine the other to make this panel. If a wider panel is desired, the same weaving is repeated as often as necessary.

The straws a, b, k, and l are woven by ones. Put l over b and c, under de, over fg, under hi and over j. Put 2 under b, over cd, under ef, over gh, under ij and over k. Put 3 over b, under c, over de, under fg, over hi and under jk. Put 4 under bcd, over ef, under gh and over ijk. Put 5 over bc, under de, over fg, under hi and over j. Put 6 under b, over cd, under ef, over gh, under ij and over k. Put 7 over b, under c, over de, under fg, over hi, under jk. Put 8 under b, over cd, under ef, over gh, under ij and over k. Put 9 over bc, under de, over fg, under hi and over j. Put 10 under bcd, over ef, under gh and over ijk. Put 11 over b, under c, over de, under fg, over hi and under jk. Put 12 under b, over cd, under ef, over gh, under ij and over k. Then the whole operation is again repeated. It will be seen that the manner of weaving 2 and 12, 3 and 11, 4 and 10, and 5 and 9 is the same.

Step 4 ill.u.s.trates the diamond figure design, woven by threes, with 11 straws in width.

Put 1 under cd, over efg, under h, over ijk and under lm. Put 2 under c, over def, under ghi, over jkl and under m. Put 3 over cde, under fghij and over klm. Put 4 over cd, under efg, over h, under ijk and over lm. Put 5 over c, under def, over ghi, under jkl and over m. Put 6 under cde, over fghij and under klm. Now the order reverses, 7 being the same as 5, 8 as 4, etc., until the other half of the figure is completed at 11. Now put 12 under cde, over fghij and under klm. Put 13 over c, under def, over ghi, under jkl and over m. Put 14 under cde, over fghij and under klm. Now 1 repeats itself, and the second figure is woven as the first. It is believed that with the aid of the large ill.u.s.trations here presented the teacher or pupil can now follow for himself the other designs given, without a detailed explanation of each step.

"Woven-in" Borders.

Woven-in border designs may be made in three different ways; viz., First, by weaving the design around the mat, using the same straws that run through the body. (See Plate XIII, Fig. 1.) In this case the color effect is one of confusion, since the dyed straws used in the designs of the body of the mat have no relation to the design of the border when they enter it. Second, by weaving the border and the body of the mat of different straws, uniting them at the inner edge of the border by a loop as described in the Romblon mat. (See Plate XVI.) Third, by lapping the colored straws desired in the border, upon the projecting ends of the straws of the body of the mat. (See step 8, Plate XII.) These latter two methods are much more artistic, as a uniform color effect appears throughout the border. (See Plate XIII, Fig. 2.)

The Romblon Mat.

Making Open Work.

Simple open work is ill.u.s.trated in Plate XIV.

Weave corner Z, using straws a, b, c, d, e and f, letting f float at both ends. Weave g, turning upward and over f, then making a double corner at y, pa.s.sing under f, to the left and over f, and let float. Weave h, i, j, k, l and m in solid weave. Turn h under i and over j. Turn j upward and over i, to the left under f, upward over g, double corner at W, pa.s.sing down under g, over g, and floating. Turn m upward over l to the left, under i, upward over f, to the left under g, upward over j making a double corner at X, pa.s.sing under j. The straws j and m alternately cross each other to corner V.

The other half of this open design is an exact duplicate of this weaving, and the remaining designs have the same turns as the one explained, except that in opposite designs the straws are turned in opposite directions. By following this plate it is easy to finish the weaves. If one straw is woven over another, it folds down before pa.s.sing over, and, vice versa, if it pa.s.ses under, it folds upward in turning.

As is seen, the holes are made simply by turning the straws in the weave. The different shaped holes in other designs (see plates) are made by turning a different number of straws according to the shape desired. Varied border edges may be made by switching the straws in any direction desired.

Introducing Color Panel.

Step 1 of Plate XVI shows the first colored panel, straw ab placed between cd, the s.p.a.ce between x and y having been already woven, as shown in step 11.

Step 2. Folding a to the right.

Step 3. Folding a under and down.

Step 4. Folding c over a and to left.

Step 5. Folding a over c and upward.

Step 6. Folding b under d to left.

Step 7. Folding b upward, with right twist downward.

Step 8. Folding d downward, with right twist to right.