Lining and Zipper

I attached the lining first and then the zipper.

The seam is graded and understitched and then the lining was hand sewn into the waist.

I did a lapped zipper style. It was basted in first using a contrasting thread color and then machine sewn in following the basting. Then the basting stitches were removed. The top ends of the zipper were folded down and hand sewn into the inside of the dress. Then the hem was done. I havenʼt figured out how I would like to do shoulder straps so the two dresses that have been made do not have shoulder straps.

Here are two completed dresses. The one on the left was constructed by my sister using the wool yarn with full cross stitch and the one on the right is acrylic yarn with the seeding stitch. Both dresses are made to fit Bust 33, Waist 26, Hip 35, and skirt length 22. Anyone want to buy them? I want to make another one for myself but in different colors. : ) Angela

How to make a Maori Bodice Part I

Sorry, it took so long to get back at this. It took some time to complete the needlepoint. I think I am a slow sewer and it probably took about 40 hours to do this but it was spread out over a couple of months. This was done on a 10 count needlepoint canvas using 4 ply acrylic yarn (from Walmart) and done in a seeding type of stitch (not a cross stitch). I had to order the canvas online as nobody carries this in sufficient lengths to make it. This is my second needlepoint piece I have done.

The first needlepoint piece I did was done in the same pattern but on a 12 count canvas using 3 ply wool yarn and done in a full cross stitch. This took twice as long as my second piece. So if you have a lot of time on your hands or at least stitch faster than me, this looks very nice when done due to all the fine details. But the acrylic yarn colors are brighter. I will post a picture of these side by side later.

The picture here shows the completed needlepoint. This piece is 36 inches long because the dress bodice will be made for someone with a bust that size or smaller. This completed piece is then fused on the “wrong” side with interfacing. The only thing in the stores here is pellon. I DONʼT RECOMMEND PELLON. It is too thick. It would be better to use a light weight fusible knit interfacing. Next time, I will have to order this online too as I canʼt expect the fabrics stores on this island to carry something like that.

Well, more to come soon....

Angela

Traditional Maori Dress

The aim of this entries is to perpetuate the art and techniques of making maori traditional dresses. Any suggestions, additional information, techniques, and vocabulary are welcome.

Some tribes use different names for the same thing, but I will use the ones I learned from my teachers and will gladly add the different names you may have. The purpose is to support each other in this craft due to the fact it seems to be dying out as the people I know who have made these dresses with the proper knowledge of the patterns are older. I don't know anyone my age who makes these.

My purpose in writing here is for these costumes: the womens' pari (needlepoint bodice) attached to a cotton knee-length skirt (panekoti). This blog can also encompass the mens' costume of the the sash (tapeka) and waist band (tatua). A word often used when referring to these costumes is taniko which means "woven" which is the proper name for it when dyed flax leaves are woven to construct the garment but I don't know if it should be used with needlepoint constructed garments.

This blog is also a journal of my attempts to make the pari (maori women's costume).

More to come soon : )