Philippine Mats Part 4

Step 9. Folding b under d upward.

Step 10. Shows addition of second straw ef woven to the right, where the same process of turning is gone through as ill.u.s.trated in steps 6 to 9 inclusive. If weaving is to the left, steps 1 to 5 inclusive are repeated.

Step 11. Shows continued additions and weaving both to the right and left.

Step 12. Shows both edges of panel woven, the inside turnings being the same as those of the outer edge.

Circular Mats.

The circular mat is woven like the crown of a hat, with either the radiating center or a square center radiating at the four corners. In either case, the weaver must be careful to add the proper number of straws so that the mat will be flat, and not cupped or fluted. The cupping is caused by not adding a sufficient number and the fluting by adding too many.

In tightening the weaving, do not pull the added straws (Plate XIX, step 6, straw x-x) or holes will be made at the elbow. Instead, pull the longer straws that run through the center, thus making the entire weaving tight.

Radiating Center.

Step 1. Begin by laying down, in pairs, ab and cd perpendicular to the body. Put kl under ab and over cd. Put ij over ab and under cd.

Step 2. Now put ef under cd and ij, and over ab and kl; then put gh over cd and ij, and under kl and ab. See that the two ends of all the straws are equidistant from the center crossing.

In step 3 the straws are changed from pairs to singles as follows: Bring a over i; e over d; i over h; d over l; h over a; and l over e.

Step 4. The most convenient way to perform the next process is to take all the bottom straws in the left hand and allow the top straws to float over the closed fist. Then the weaving is done with the right hand. However, for beginners the weaving may also be done on the table.

In weaving, place c under b, over a and under k; d over b and under a; g under f, over e and under b; h over f and under e; k under j, over i and under f; l over j and under i; b under c, over d and under a; a over c and under d; f under g, over h and under c; e over g and under h; j under k, over l and under g; i over k and under l; the round is then finished.

Step 5. This ill.u.s.trates the manner of adding straws. Straw x is placed under c, over h, under g and then bent back. The bend should be in the middle of the straw.

Step 6. In this the right end of the added straw x is brought down over j and under i.

Step 7 shows how to continue the additions by weaving one straw and then adding one.

Step 8 shows the mat after the first round of additions has been completed. The weaving is now easy. Weave entirely around again without any additions, turning five straws each time. Then go around again weaving two and adding one, in the same manner as before, turning seven straws each time. As the diameter of the mat increases, the less often is it necessary to add. But be sure to add enough to keep the weaving close and the mat perfectly flat.

Step 9 shows how to close the edge of the mat by turning back the straws on each other. It also gives a very pretty "woven in" design for a border, which can easily be followed from the plate.

Square Center.

Steps for commencing a circular mat with a square beginning are ill.u.s.trated in Plate XXI. The additions at the corner are made in the same manner as explained in the radiating center, except that each is for a fourth of a circle instead of a complete circle.

Decorations for Round Mats.

Decorations are often employed in round mats. (See Plates XXII and XXIII.) The most usual are concentric or radiating colored bands of either simple or sawali weaves.

Hexagonal Weave.

Step 1. In Plate XXIV, place straws 1 and 2 parallel; then put 3 under 2 and over 1; put 4 under 1 and over 2.

Step 2. Put 5 over 1 and 4 and under 2 and 3; put 6 under 1 and 4 and over 2 and 3.

Step 3. Put a over 5 and 6 and under 1 and 2. Put b over 1, 2 and a, and under 3 and 4. Put c under a, over 4, 3, b, and under 6, 5.

Step 4. Put d under b, over 6, 5, c, and under 2, 1, e. Put e under c, over 2, 1, d, under 3, 4, and over a. Put f under d, over 3, 4, e, under 5, 6, a, and over b.

Step 5 is made open so as to show the triple over and under weave. Further weaving is merely a repet.i.tion of this process, as shown in step 6.

Step 7 shows the turning of the straws on finis.h.i.+ng the edge of the mat.

Step 8. Many designs can be made by inserting colored straws into the natural weave. Step 8 ill.u.s.trates three of these embroidered designs--the star, the bar, and the diamond.

Embroidered Mats.

The embroidering of mats is easily done and the method is shown in Plate XXVI. Mats in over and under weave, of solid color (either natural or dyed), are used, and the embroidery is done with colored straws. Plate XXVII ill.u.s.trates an embroidered color panel. Floral, geometrical, and conventionalized designs are discussed under the headings "Samar mats" and "Special designs."

MAT MATERIALS.

Many Philippine mat materials have been described in a former publication on hats. [6] Only additional and new information is written here and such data from Bulletin 33 as are necessary to make a connected article. [7]

Buri Straw.

The Buri Palm.

There are about six species of the genus Corypha in tropical Asia, but only one of these is found in the Philippines; this is Corypha elata, the buri palm. [8] It is widely distributed throughout the Philippines but is most abundant in the central part of the Pampanga valley and in southern Tayabas.

Mr. C. W. Franks, formerly Division Superintendent of Schools for Mindoro Province, had a careful estimate made by his teaching force of the stands of buri palms on the Island of Mindoro. It was found that 5,000 hectares of land on this island are covered by 2,000,000 buri palms, of which 225,000, or about 12 per cent, are mature trees.

The Island of Burias, the Isla Verde, and other small islands are fairly covered with the palm. The Province of Sorsogon, including the Island of Masbate, is also well supplied. In the Visayas there are districts in Panay, Negros, Cebu, and Bohol, where many buri trees are found.

The buri is the largest palm that grows in the Philippines, attaining a height of 20 meters. Its trunk is very erect, spirally ridged and up to 0.7 meter in diameter. Its wood is of no commercial value.

The full-grown leaves may be three meters long. They are spherical in outline and the lower one-third or one-half is entire, like the palm of the hand. The upper part is divided into from 80 to 100 segments each from 1.5 to 6 cm. wide and appearing like fingers spread apart. The petioles supporting the leaves are about 3 meters long and 20 cm. thick, and are provided with long, stout, curved spines. Both margins and spines are black in color. At flowering time all the leaves are shed. The young leaf grows out from the top of the palm with the segments pressed together in the form of a lance.