This webpage is a copy of the comments received on a blog post on Ali’s original website, alibrown.co.nz. The blog post itself is now at “Growing and weaving Pīngao”.
This webpage is a copy of the comments received on a blog post on Ali’s original website, alibrown.co.nz. The blog post itself is now at “Growing and weaving Pīngao”.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Dear Ali,
I received your book today. I left strict instructions not to be disturbed until I had read the book. What a fine, detailed, highly creative book it is. The world is a better place because of creative people like you. Will certainly mention you and your website when I meet my ‘floristry’ friends.
Kind regards, Lisa Golding.
September 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Ahh Ali. How neat it is to see this lovely orange pingao here and my funny little kete. Our plant has grown to a good size this year and has started to send kittens over the sides of the pot. This exponential growth is what I’ve been waiting for! 5..long..years. Now I can look forward to weaving with it. I’ll try moving one or two of these into the garden in the Autumn to see how they go. When I weave it again, I’ll try without softening the blades at all, but I’ll pull off the narrow side of each blade because it has a tendency to split anyway. I love this plant it looks groovy in the pot and is easy to look after. Pingao is certainly worth a try for anyone who likes the rich golden colour and a bit of a weaving challenge.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:58 am
Really interesting story you have and good luck to your discovery you have made with your pingao
December 19th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I soak dried pingao on boiling water for 5 minutes or so before gentle softening with a cloth over the knife blade.
December 20th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Hi Carrie
Thanks for telling us about your method of preparing pingao. It sounds like an excellent technique and will use it when I prepare the dried pingao that Karen has left with me.
April 17th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Hi all
Does anyone have the instructions to weave kete Whakapuareare out of pinga0? All I have is a diagram but no instructions. Any helpwould be most appreciated.
Many thanks. Louise
April 18th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Hi Louise
I understand that the Kete Whakapuareare or basket for collecting seafood, is made with the usual method of starting a kete by adding strips along a plait, the only difference being that the strips are less often, at every other plait, or maybe even less often. This allows for the deliberate spaces between the weaving which to allow water to freely drain from the kai gathered inside.
May 7th, 2010 at 6:28 am
Kia ora Ali
Really love your website. I’m just getting into raranga and knowing that pingao is easily grown in a home garden means I’ll be planting seed asap. How can I get a copy of your book on making flowers? Thanks
May 16th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Hi Robina
Thanks for your comments. All the information on buying my book is on the Shop page of this web site.
August 16th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Thank you all for this wonderful information. I have recently become interested in this beautiful plant and have been learning all that I can gather.
Nga mihi
December 13th, 2012 at 7:00 am
Your book of weaving flowers arrived yesterday.
The detail. AWESOME. can’t wait to have a bunch of them made.
Dot
May 10th, 2021 at 11:27 am
Kia Ora, I just wanted to correct above that pingao is not to be hapene (softened) there is no need to do so, also removing the edges is also up to the weaver themselves and their preference. You collect rinse under water, and let the pingao dry to it golden color before you weave with it. I also steam it my in the shower before I weave with it.
Nga mihi
May 10th, 2021 at 5:39 pm
Kia ora Joanne, thanks very much for your advice on working with pingao. It’s a beautiful resource to weave with.