Blog posts archive

Links to sections of this page:

• Blog posts about flax weaving techniques and projects
• Posts about my books
• Posts about hui, groups and workshops
• All posts — listed in most-recent-first order

Blog posts about flax weaving techniques and projects

• Weaving a flax star for Matariki — Rarangatia he whetu harakeke mō Matariki Instructions on how to weave a woven six-point star.
• Bands for the boys (and girls)
  Instructions on how to weave a simple flax wristband which is a popular item to weave for young people.
• Weaving a simple star
  How to weave a simple star with one strip.‎
• Weaving a star to use in gift wrapping
  Instructions for making a flat star, used here as a decoration on wrapped gifts, plus other ideas on using flax while wrapping gifts.
• Weaving a three-dimensional star
  Instructions for making a three-dimensional star, following on from instructions on making the flat star.
• Making a flax angel
  Making a flax angel using variegated flax to give texture to the wings, and including a sea-smoothed shell ring as the halo.
• Flax angel with flaxen hair
  Instructions for making a flax angel with long golden hair, a halo and feathery wings.
• Weaving a remembrance poppy
  I have regularly been asked about weaving flax poppies, and this post includes ideas for two different poppies.
• Weaving a four-plait cord
  Coloured illustrations showing the steps for weaving a four plait cord, using both strips of flax and flax fibre.
• Weaving jewellery
  How to weave pendants using the curved four-plait and a cord using the rounded four-plait, with links to instructions for both.
• Weaving a rounded six-plait cord
  Illustrated instructions for making a rounded six-plait cord suitable for jewellery and other uses.
• Using flax for foliage
  Using the different qualities of flax, including shredded flax, to create foliage for floral arrangements.
• Flax butt handles
  Saving the base ends of flax leaves used for weaving, shaping the ends and using them for basket handles.
• The fibre in flax
  Various ways flax fibre has been used throughout history and a demonstration of how to extract the fibres.
• The wax on flax
  A discussion on the way different flaxes look when they are dried and a discussion on dyeing flax.
• Simple designs for dyed flax
  Information about dyeing green flax strips and ideas for ways of using dyed strips
• Experimenting with dyeing flax fibre
  Dyeing flax fibre, mixing colours and the different way fibres dye compared to flax strips.
• Flax weaving for Christmas
  Using overlaid strips of coloured flax to make a festive pattern, a reader’s wreath and an idea for a wreath made from woven stars.
• Beachcombing for flaxworks
  Ideas for creatively adding found objects, such as driftwood and shells, into your weaving.
• Flax weaving for gifts
  Several ideas on using flax containers and baskets both as wrappings for gifts and as gifts in their own right.
• Weaving a flax planter
  Suggestions on how to use the waikawa style of basket to weave a flax planter for planting seedlings.
• Even diagonal weaving — or finding the ara
  How to find a straight row of weaving — the ara — to ensure that the weaving is even and straight.
• Finishing the top edge of a basket
  Instructions for weaving a simple straight edge which gives a finish that keeps the pattern of the weave intact.
• Weaving an open-weave basket
  Guidance on weaving an open-weave basket, with illustrations that show, using arrows, the correct placement of strips. Suitable for experienced weavers.
• Weaving a water bottle cover
  Information on weaving a water bottle cover starting with a hexagonal weave base and finishing with a plaited cord top.
• Weaving a flax fantail
  Information about weaving a fantail, as well as information on netted flax and including a link to illustrated instructions.
• Weaving a flax belt
  How to weave a simple flax belt, using a bangle for the buckle and including instructions for the fastening.
• Weaving a sun visor hat
  Information on weaving a visor-style hat, using my book ‘Weaving Baskets, Backpacks, Boxes and Other Projects‘ for guidance
• Growing and weaving pīngao
  Information on growing pingao, a native coastal plant, and on weaving with it. Includes illustrations of a kete woven with pīngao.
• Harvesting the lace from lacebark
  How to harvest lacebark from the lacebark tree, or hoheria, in a sustainable way.
• Being creative with fibre
  A review of different presenters’ ideas on being creative with fibre and my thoughts on using flax and flax fibre in creative ways.

Posts about my books

• Creative Flax Weaving
  Announcing the publication of my book “Creative Flax Weaving”, with information on how to purchase the book.
• Flax Weaving for Children of all Ages – Te Raranga Harakeke mā ngā Tamariki Katoa
  Announcing the publication of my book “Flax Weaving for Children of all Ages – Te Raranga Harakeke mā ngā Tamariki Katoa”, with information on how to purchase the book.
• “Fun and Functional Flax Weaving” book
  Announcing the publication of my book “Fun and Functional Flax Weaving”, with information on how to purchase the book.
• Weaving Baskets, Backpacks, Boxes and Other Projects
  Information about my book on weaving flax baskets, backpacks and boxes and other projects, and how to purchase the book.
• Netted flax flowers
  Announcing the third edition of my book Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax, which includes netted-flax flower designs.
• Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax
  Announcing the first edition of my book Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax. It’s now in its fourth edition.
• Weaving a flax planter
  Suggestions on how to use the style of basket that is in my book “Weaving a Large Container from New Zealand Flax”.

Posts about hui, groups and workshops

• Weavers’ National Hui 2019
• Weaving in Rarotonga
• Flax weaving for charity
• Camp Quality weaving workshop
• Basket weaving of Vietnam
• Flax weavers and their weaving
• National gathering for flax weavers
• Flax weaving on a marae
• Weaving in Norfolk Island
• Links to flax weaving groups
• Flowers for OSCAR

All posts — listed in most-recent-first order

July 2025: Creative Flax Weaving

June 2025: Weaving a flax star for Matariki
Rarangatia he whetu harakeke mō Matariki

Dec 2024: “Flax Weaving for Children of all Ages
Te Raranga Harakeke mā ngā Tamariki Katoa” book

November 2023: Robyn Kahukiwa and weaving taniwha

• July 2023: Meeting Te Rā — The Sail
  
• June 2023: Three sets of books gifted
  
• April 2023: Celebrating the sales of over 10,000 copies of my books on New Zealand flax weaving
  
• Dec 2022: Weaving a simple star
  
• Aug 2021: A full upgrade of my flax weaving website
• 7 Dec 2020: “Fun and Functional Flax Weaving” book
• 13 Jul 2020: Even diagonal weaving — or finding the ara
• 27 May 2020: A second set of project instructions translated into te reo Māori
• 30 Oct 2019: Weavers’ National Hui 2019
• 14 Sep 2019: Translating this site into te reo Māori
• 29 Mar 2019: Weaving an open-weave basket
• 25 Oct 2018: Weaving a sun visor hat
• 30 May 2018: Weaving jewellery
• 25 Mar 2018: Earning an income from your craft
• 6 Mar 2018: Weaving a water bottle cover
• 16 Jan 2018: Weaving in Rarotonga
• 19 Dec 2016: Weaving a flax planter
• 31 Aug 2016: Flax weaving for charity
• 19 Mar 2016: Weaving Baskets, Backpacks, Boxes and Other Projects
• 25 Jun 2015: Flax weaving for gifts
• 1 Apr 2015: Weaving a remembrance poppy
• 1 Apr 2015: Camp Quality weaving workshop
• 11 Jul 2014: Country Life interview on flax weaving
• 6 July 2014: Basket weaving of Vietnam
• 8 Dec 2013: Flax weavers and their weaving
• 9 Nov 2013: National gathering for flax weavers
• 29 Jul 2013: Netted flax flowers
• 5 Nov 2012: Flax weaving on a marae
• 9 May 2012: Being creative with fibre
• 25 Feb 2012: Using flax for foliage
• 13 Dec 2011: Making flax paper
• 8 Aug 2011: Weaving a flax fantail
• 5 Feb 2011: Beachcombing for flaxworks
• 9 Dec 2010: Flax weaving for Christmas
• 21 Nov 2010: Flax butt handles
• 22 Sep 2010: Weaving in Norfolk Island
• 31 May 2010: Weaving a rounded six-plait cord
• 27 Feb 2010: Where does this bag come from?
• 16 Jan 2010: Flax on the brain
• 17 Dec 2009: Flax angel with flaxen hair
• 30 Aug 2009: Links to flax weaving groups
• 30 Aug 2009: Growing and weaving pīngao
• 23 Feb 2009: Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax
• 21 Dec 2008: Making a flax angel
• 31 Oct 2008: Weaving a three-dimensional star
• 9 Jul 2008: Weaving a four-plait cord
• 26 May 2008: The fibre in flax
• 14 Apr 2008: The wax on flax
• 14 Jan 2008: Finishing the top edge of a basket
• 17 Dec 2007: Weaving a flax star
• 12 Nov 2007: Bands for the boys (and girls)
• 28 Sep 2007: Taking flaxworks overseas
• 30 Jul 2007: Weaving a flax belt
• 14 Jul 2007: Simple designs for dyed flax
• 15 Jun 2007 An article in the Christchurch Star
• 2 Jun 2007: Harvesting the lace from lacebark
• 7 May 2007: Experimenting with dyeing flax fibre
• 24 Apr 2007: Flowers for OSCAR