The Kishie - A Traditional Shetland Island Basket

!: The Kishie - A Traditional Shetland Island Basket

Scotland and the islands that lay off its northern coast are steeped in tradition and heritage. Although theses areas are technically part of the Untied Kingdom, many natives still consider themselves to be a separate entity from their English neighbors and cling to their own culture and beliefs.

Until the early 1600's, England and Scotland were two different countries and were usually at war with each other. When Queen Elizabeth I of England died with no children, her cousin James the VI of Scotland became the first Stuart king of England and the joining of the two countries had begun. This unification was legally completed in 1707 by Queen Anne and was a bitter pill to swallow for most Scots.

Even today, many Scottish nationalists want to be as separated from England as much as possible. In recent years, these men and women were granted their own Parliament that is set apart from the English government, although the English Parliament still retains the right to approve or disapprove any measures that are passed by this Scottish governing party. So Scotland is still not a totally independent entity.

The people who live on the islands that surround Scotland were far more removed from the British scene due to the isolation that these areas supply. Even when Scotland was a separate country that had its own rulers, these natives were a law among themselves. Controlled by the clans, these communities bargained with their Scottish kings rather than being ruled by them. This situation led to the development of individual crafts and skills that are found only in this area of the world.

One of the crafts that developed on the Shetland Islands was the weaving of the kishie basket. Made since ancient times, these containers were made to haul potatoes, peat, grain and seeds. It was also used to transport goods to and from the local market place. To illustrate the importance of these containers to the agricultural life of these islands, "Kishie-fills" was the method in which the all important harvests were measured.

The kishie basket was designed with a strap, which the natives called a "fettel." This enabled the carriers to sling the container over his back that left their hands free. When used in pairs, these baskets could be placed on each side of the sturdy Shetland ponies that were used as beasts of burdens in this part of the world.

The kishie baskets were made of Shetland black oats. These oats were arranged in bundles called "hjogs" and are held in place by two-stranded strings that are called "simmins."

Although these Shetland baskets are no longer used for practical purposes, a renewed interest in the history of the Shetland Islands has led to these containers becoming valuable collector's items. The art of weaving these types of baskets has also begun to be passed on to people who are foreigners to the island communities.

One of the leading kishie basket weavers on the Shetland Islands is Ewan Balfour. This native Shetlander learned his craft from Lowrie Copland, the last traditional basket weaver in Shetland. This young man now travels to various exhibits and schools sharing his knowledge with youngsters from a variety of places and backgrounds. He also shares with them many other aspects of life on the islands.

The kishie basket is an important element to the culture and history of the Shetland Islands. Thanks to the efforts of Ewan Balfour and other Shetland basket weavers, the art of making these containers is sure to live on for future generations.

The Kishie - A Traditional Shetland Island Basket

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Panama Hats - Made in Panama

!: Panama Hats - Made in Panama

When you think Panama you think of panama hats. Did you know the style of the white straw hats we typically think of as Panama hats were made in Ecuador probably by the Incas in the 16th Century? These Ecuadorian Panama hats became popular in Panama during the construction of the canal. Many credit a picture of President Theodor Roosevelt wearing a panama hat when he visited the canal as popularizing these hats in Europe and the United States. There was a time when all well dressed men in the tropics wore a Panama hat. Light and airy these straw hats were perfect for keeping the hot sun off your head when working or visiting in the tropics.

The hats made in Panama are woven from plant fibers similar to the Ecuadorian version. The most famous of the Panamanian hand-woven straw hats are made in Coclé Panama and called a sombrero pintado or painted hat. These hats are made of junco or bellto plants and sewn with pita, and come in a variety of patterns and designs depending on the weaver. Most are white or cream with black borders or stripes around the hat.

The plants to make these hats grow close to streams and rivers and have to be harvested stripped, boiled and bleached or dyed. The fiber is then braided and the braids wound, sewn and shaped on a hat mold. The color of the fiber and the pattern and weave of the braid is unique to each weaver. The art of making these hats has been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years.

The coarser or more rustic hats are made with thicker braids and are the most hardy and least expensive. These "work hats" are often worn by farmers and stand up to extreme weather conditions. These hats will generally have seven or so braids while the "finer" straw hats will have as many as fifteen or twenty braids creating a much dressier smoother look.

The finer the braid and the more braids used in the hat the more elegant the look and expensive the hat. Finely braided sombrero pintado can cost up to 0 while the more rustic versions can be found for . All of the hats are unique and beautiful handcrafted works of art and the style you pick depends on personal taste and where and with what you intend to wear the hat.

Quite frankly it is easier to find an Ecuadorian Panama hat in Panama today than it is to find the native made sombrero pintado. If you are looking for a real sombrero pintado it is best to look in the Province of Coclé where the majority of these hats are made. Coclé is about an hour-and-a-half from Panama City on the Pacific coast of Panama. You will find a large selection of the sombrero pintados in the handicraft markets of La Pintada a small village twenty minutes from Penonome the regional capital of the Province

Panama Hats - Made in Panama

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A Modern Twist on the African Tribal Pot

!: A Modern Twist on the African Tribal Pot

The African potters, primarily women, have expressed their creativity throughout history in many different forms. From bowls and dishes to entire communities built with clay, they often create art without the advancements such as nail hole filler or texturing tools that many a first-world potter enjoys. Their art contains both functionality for every day living and, with its decorative forms, an ongoing commitment to the creative spirit.

If there is one way to describe the work ethic of African potters it is this: Keep it Simple. They used the most basic tools to create awe-inspiring art. Absent are kilns, lead-free glazes and wheels. Potters in the rest of the world could take note from these potters uncanny understanding of the elements of locally dug clay. Not only does the sale of their wares help support their family and community, but has a basic function in tribal life such as carrying water from one place to another or food storage.

You won't find overglazes in African pottery, but there are some standout characteristics of note that you might want to incorporate into your own African-inspired pottery creations. This style of pottery is typically hand-made, unglazed, round-based and flared at the neck of the pot. The round-based pots are easier to secure into the ground, keeping with the construction of their homes, many of which feature uneven floors. By flaring the pot at the neck, it can also be hung rather easily in a sling or on the wall. Since there are not polished surfaces, the contents of the pot maintain a cooler temperature thus preserving the sometimes-perishable contents of the pot.

As a generalization, African women potters begin their creations straight out of a hole in the earth. From there, they continue the process by working around the hole, enhancing and adding, forming and smoothing, until the pot shape comes together. From here the decoration ranges from fishes to snakes, tribe to tribe, reflecting both the artist as an individual and the community where she makes art.

Before you begin your African-inspired pot, you might want to take a trip to the library and do a little bit of research. While there are many commonalities among African potters, there are an unlimited amount of styles and methods to learn from and inspire your future creations. By making your project by hand-this includes slabbing, coiling and the majority of the moulding-you will be staying true to the foundations of African pot making.

A Modern Twist on the African Tribal Pot

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How to Make a Bra Pattern

!: How to Make a Bra Pattern

Making your own bra is one of the most satisfying sewing projects you can learn to do. Poorly fitting bras can cause many problems, such as chronic backache. Every breast is different, and yet commercially available bras come in a limited range of sizes. This may make economic sense for the manufacturer, but the majority of women end up with a bra that doesn't quite fit.

The most natural solution would be to have bras custom made, but this is beyond the reach of most women. The good news, however, is that with a little know-how and some basic sewing skills, you can make your own perfectly-fitting bra at home.

Your first step is to acquire or make a pattern. There are several ways of doing this - you can buy a pattern and adjust to fit. You can dismantle a well-fitting bra you like and trace the pieces. For a genuinely custom fit, you can use the 'tape and drape' method - this method, used by home sewers and professional custom corsetiers alike, involves supporting the breast with a sling of ribbon, bandage, or surgical tape, then taping or pinning fabric around it to make a form. The form is then cut along any style lines you like, and the pieces laid out flat, traced and tweaked into a pattern.

The other method, the same method used by commercial designers, is to use your measurements and a little simple geometry to draft a sloper or block, from which you can develop your pattern. The cup is formed from a rounded-off triangle, which when stitched together makes a hemisphere, as the basic unit of the cup pattern. The corners of this triangle should be right angles, which means that the sides have to be curved. The easiest way of doing this is to divide the side measurement (one quarter of the circumference of the breast) into four, and then draw each quarter-section of the line at an angle of 10 degrees to the last. Two of these triangles form the bottom half of the cup, and a section of the same block is used to form the upper cup section.

The band is drafted as a rectangular block, which is then curved so it fits the ribcage closely, slashing and spreading the pattern at the side seams, centres of the cups, and in the back, to add around 34-16 degrees. This curved rectangle can then be redrawn into a pattern. Once this is drafted, you can make up a 'muslin' to fit and style the pattern perfectly.

Want to know more about bra making? Take a look at this bra pattern tutorial.

How to Make a Bra Pattern

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