The Technique of the Design.

By design is meant the combination of the various patterns forming the borders, the mesial motive and the coloured spacing. These form the geometrical picture furnished by the completed band or a typical section of the band. It is the kohianga, or picking up of the dextral wefts, that results in this design. If the technique of the body of the mat, working with a diagonal edge of eight or ten dextrals could be adhered to, the technique of the design would be much simplified. Reference to the lower part of the working edge of the band in Fig. 121 shows that with a working edge of eight dextrals, the fixation row the two rows of coloured spacing, and the two constituents of the first border, or the strip as far as the inner line of page 138checks, could be carried right along the length of the band, It is merely a repetition of one up, two down, two up, two down and one up. When completed, the next working set of seven would complete the mesial motive. In the working space of seven dextrals, the changing strokes of the mesial motive would cause less thought. Then a third working set of eight would complete the band.

But this is not done, for we know that the long coloured elements are not cut to their length in the band, but are carried up on one sinistral and doubled back on the next. This is to avoid working with more than one overlaid coloured strip, which would tangle up along the upper edge of the plaiting. It also saves material. Thus in Fig. 121, the diagonal working edge is the full width of the band with its 23 working dextrals. The whole of these 23 dextrals have to be arranged into two series of recumbent and raised wefts to comply with each detail of the design, ere the single sinistral weft and its superimposed colour strip can be successfully placed in position. The order of the arrangement keeps changing with each movement to add a sinistral, and there is need of constant attention to detail to maintain the accuracy of the design. The technique is thus much more complicated than the simple check plaiting with which we have so far been engaged. It was primitive woman's fancy-work and she took genuine pleasure in the mental and technical exercise involved in the plaiting of the various combinations that were possible.

Though the technique appears difficult to the novice, it was really not so difficult as it seems. On the band of the koviri mat that commences with a straight left hand edge, the design was gradually built up from the left hand corner as the side edge was built up by the ever-lengthening sinistrals. It was here that the calculations were made. Reference to the left edge of Fig. 118 shows that the plaiter was at first merely concerned with the coloured spacing beyond the fixation row. This she decided should be a twilled two. When the sinistral weft had to cross more than two, she devoted her attention to the outer constituent of the pange border, which is again a twilled two. As this is formed by dextrals, they had to be raised. When the growing triangle passed them on the left edge, the coloured spacing of twilled twos came into the scheme, and on each subsequent stroke the two corresponding dextral wefts were left recumbent. Then came the inner constituent of the page 139pange border, consisting of check dextrals, therefore the corresponding dextral had to be raised. This stage of the band is shown in Fig. 119, which is a continuation of Fig. 116.

Figure 119.
Commencement of the Band.

It shows the doubling of the coloured strip, a, which goes up on one strip and down again on the next from its commencement at b, to its turn on the last sinistral, S. It also shows that the patterns are irregular near the side edge, owing to dextrals having to be used to fix the turn of the coloured element whether it is their turn in the pattern or not. The lower part, however, is clearly defined. As the arrangement of the two series of dextrals is always commenced from above, the weft marked 1, which is part of the horizontal row of checks, must be dropped. To maintain the horizontal line of the checks, the one immediately below (2) must be picked up to take the place over the next sinistral. The next two, 3 and 4, must remain down to form the twilled spacing. Thus 3 is left where it is, and 4, which is up, must be dropped. The next two, 5 and 6, must be up to form the twilled band of the pange border. Of these, 5 is already up, but 6, which is down must be picked up. The next two must be down for the twilled spacing. Of these, 7 is already down, so it remains down whilst 8, which is up, is dropped. This brings us to the fixation weft which is the next to the right of those already in use. Thus 9 is picked up and by coming into the combination our plaiting moves one weft's breadth to the right. Thus, disregarding the wefts above 1 for the page 140moment, we have the wefts numbered 2, 5, 6 and 9 raised. When the next sinistral is placed in position and the coloured element placed upon it, the held-up wefts, by passing over it, continue the horizontal lines of checks, twilled twos and fixation wefts, and the proper coloured spacing is automatically provided. This automatic arrangement is continued with each movement. When the single held up check weft is reached, it is dropped. The next one is picked up and the formula two down, two up, one down and one up is repeated practically by the guidance of the fingers alone.

Above this simple arrangement of the lower border and the fixation row we have reached the area of our mesial main motive. A glance at Fig. 118 shows that the motive consists of three dextral wefts that are raised together from below a crossing sinistral, and are kept raised until three sinistrals have been placed in position. They are then dropped and the next sinistral passes over them. If the wefts have been split evenly, the figure formed is a perfect square with its sides running diagonally. The square stands on one corner. The width of the mesial area between the boundary rows of check, ara maori, must at least be the height of the tilted square. The real base of the square, however, is the edge of the sinistral weft on its left.

Having passed the commencement of the lower boundary of single checks, the question is, when should the main motive be commenced. The answer is, when there are enough dextral wefts (3) between the check row and the part clear of the fixing wefts of the left margin. This condition is shown in Fig. 120A, where the left edge of the Figure represents the line clear of the margin, c, the check row and V, the last sinistral laid down. Between the edge

Figure 120.
Commencement of mesial motive.

page 141 and the last weft of the check row, there are three clear dextrals, 1, 2, and 3. These three dextrals are therefore raised for the passage of the next sinistral, W, Fig. 120B. The arrangement of the dextral for the check row and below it, follows the course already described. The next sinistral, Y, is then arranged for, the motive dextrals still being raised and the arrangement below following the routine laid. On the upper part of X, however, a new position comes into play. The third dextral above the motive dextral is on the line of the upper check boundary row. It must therefore be raised before the sinistral, X, is placed in position. In the arrangement of dextrals for the next sinistral, Y, this uppermost dextral must be dropped to define the first check of the upper check row, and the one below it picked up to continue the horizontal line of the check row. The motive dextrals are left raised, for Y is the third sinistral to pass underneath them.

Coming now to the arrangement of dextrals for the last sinistral, Z, we see that the motive is completed and the three motive dextrals, 1, 2 and 3 must be dropped. Just above them, the appropriate dextral to continue the upper check row is raised. But above this raised check there are now three dextrals. Only two of these can be left down, as spacing between the check and twilled rows of the pange border below is a coloured twilled two. The upper border must follow suit to retain the balance of the band. Hence, of the three dextrals above the raised check, the two nearest are left down to form the spacing, whilst the one furthest away is raised to commence the twilled two horizontal row of the upper border. Another problem awaits us below. Between the completed square of the mesial motive and the lower check row, there are three dextrals, 4, 5 and 6. As the tilted square motive is to be continuously repeated, these wefts are raised to form the base of the next square. With the sinistral, Z, in position, the appearance is as in Fig. 120B. It is now plain sailing. The commencement of the two constituents of the upper border has been established and they move automatically to the right as in the case of those of the lower border. When the coloured element on a sinistral reaches the required spacing by crossing two dextral wefts beyond the upper and last twilled white row, it is fixed by a check stroke and turned back on the next sinistral. Thus the work leaves the left marginal side of the band, and moving page 142to the right, its upper limits are defined by a marginal row of check fixation dextrals as in the case of the lower margin.

Another glance at the full length working edge shown in Fig. 121 will make it more intelligible. The white dextrals, shown in A, crossing the last black sinistral, are all wefts that are raised preparatory to passing over it and dropping and picking up other wefts to make a shed for the next sinistral.

Though counting has been referred to in the setting up of the various parts of the design, it is too slow for ordinary routine. It might be used as a check when a slip has been made. The plaiter, knowing the composition of the design, relies on the service of touch and the relationship of the wefts that are down to those that are raised.

Figure 121.
Full working edge of a design.

Commencing at the top, she considers the raised wefts in turn. The first raised weft, a, is the check to fix the turn of the coloured element. It is therefore passed over the sinistral and dropped, but to keep the line of fixation wefts horizontal, she picks up the next weft below to form the fixation weft for the next sinistral. It is an axiom in plaiting that lines are kept horizontal by picking up the weft below when the other is dropped. They are kept vertical by picking up the weft above. All the constituents in the present design are horizontal. Passing on to the next raised wefts, we come to the two raised wefts of the page 143twilled row of the upper border. Of these, the upper has crossed two sinistrals. It is therefore dropped. The lower has only crossed one sinistral. It must therefore be kept raised, and the weft below it picked up. This she does without thinking, for to keep a twill horizontal, the upper must be dropped, the lower retained and another picked up. Passing down, the fingers reach the raised single weft of the check row of the upper border. As it is a horizontal check row, there is no need for thought. It is passed over the sinistral, dropped and a single weft below it picked up. We next come to the three wefts of the mesial motive. If not subconsciously aware that there are three sinistrals beneath these, a quick glance assures the plaiter of this fact. She passes the three dextrals over the last sinistral and drops them. But the mesial motive is being continuously repeated in a horizontal line. She therefore picks up the next three wefts below them. Coming to the raised weft of the check row of the lower border, it is dropped and the next one picked up. The next are the two raised wefts of the twilled row of the lower border. Mechanically the upper one is passed over and dropped, the lower one retained and the next weft picked up. The last raised weft is the check fixation weft. It is passed over to fix the coloured element, and the next one picked up to form the fixation weft for the turn of the coloured element on the next sinistral. The next sinistral, S, is placed in position, Fig. 121B. The coloured element, X, is brought over and laid on the sinistral. S, where it will be fixed by a check stroke made by the dextral, b.

It is thus seen that it is only the dextrals that count in the technique. Hence the aptness of the term kohianga, the picking up. So long as the dextrals are kept right in the white patterns of the design, the coloured spacings look after themselves.