SOLD – Female Piupiu – Korirangi/Patiki Pattern – 41″ waist

Description

Piupiu (Flax Skirts) take a long time to make (average could be 40 hrs), and the weaver needs considerable skill, experience, resources (harakeke) and good weather.

They are made from a specific type of Harakeke (NZ Flax), which is different from the varieties we use for kete, pikau, or other “woven” items. The fresh leaf is first cut on the dull side on a pattern board. Then the front (shiny/waxy) membrane is scraped off (haro) with a mussel shell to reveal the underlying muka (fiber). Next, they get boiled and left to dry, curl, and bleach (closely watched so they do not curl up into each other). When we have enough pokinikini (strips) for a specific size, we whatu them (put them together using either muka or jute string), and then they get dyed to reveal the pattern.

We rarely have any in stock (in particular Female ones) as they are mostly made to order and size. So, this is a rare opportunity to buy one outright without waiting time.