Philippine Mats Part 13

The distance from the corner A to B is 13 by 2 or 26 (counts in this design are all double); from B to C is 28 by 2 or 56; from C to D is 5 by 2 or 10; from D to E is 26 by 2 or 52; from E to F is 3 by 2 or 6; from E to O is 3; from O to G is 11; from H to J is 11; from G to H is 56 by 2 or 112.

Count from A to B in all four corners and mark B in each corner. Join all the B's by a double border line. At the first B, count down to C and over to D and weave D E. Count from E to O and up to G and mark. Mark H, counting from G. Mark J, counting from H. Mark all points similar to H and J on this side of the mat, counting back from the corner a s.p.a.ce equal to G B. Now weave all designs on this side of the mat. Mark off s.p.a.ces on each side of the mat before weaving that side.

Mats woven for this design should be 202 by 538; 314 by 538; or 426 by 650.

In tikug mats of natural color straw the following colors may be used:

No. 2, 3, 6, 10, 15, or 16. (16 should not be used on sabutan.)

No. 3, c.o.c.k; No. 14, comb, (three squares from I to C and two above M); No. 1, legs and feet; No. 15, gra.s.s and other border line. (On sabutan use No. 14 instead of No. 1 for legs and feet).

Carabao Head Design.

The distance from A to B is 25 straws; from B to C is 3; from C to D is 23; from D to E is 3; from E to F is 4; from F to G is 11; from G to H is 31; from F to I is 22; from H to J is 3; from I to K is 37; from L to M is 11; from I to N is 12; from N to O is 12 1/2; and from I to P is 7.

Count from the corner A to B and mark. Count the same number in from every corner and mark. At B weave the border line the thickness of B C around the entire mat, intersecting the marks at the other three corners.

Count C D and weave the corner design D G. Count from G to H and mark. Count from B to H and see if the mark is correct. Mark off B H in the other three corners and weave the border line H J around the entire mat. Now weave the other three corner designs. Count from F to I and mark. Count from I to K and mark.

From K on, mark off distances like I K along this side of the mat until the last point is reached. The remaining s.p.a.ce to the point similar to F will equal I F. Now weave the intervening designs, and complete the mat.

Mats woven for this design should be of the following sizes: 319 by 541; 257 by 405; 490 by 712; or 393 by 541.

In tikug mats of natural color straw the following colors may be used:

No. 3, carabao and all border lines; No. 15, gra.s.ses.

No. 2, 3, 6, 9, or 15.

Fishtail Palm Design.

This is an "all over" design. The unit counts are as follows: from A to B is 33 straws; from B to C is 11; from C to D is 22; from E to F is 35; from E to G is 5.

From the corner of the mat, A, on the long edge, count down to B. At B count in to C. Mark C O D E F and weave the design. From D count 44, and a point similar to C will be reached. Weave the same pattern again. From F count 55, and a point similar to E will be reached. Weave the same pattern again.

Measuring as at the first corner A, mark off s.p.a.ces and weave all three other corner designs. Weave all intervening designs, first between corners on the sides of the mat, then on the interior.

Mats woven for this design should be: 374 by 520; 506 by 700; 572 by 790; 638 by 880.

In tikug mats of natural straw, the following colors may be used separately, not in combination:

No. 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, or 15.

NOTES

[1] Banig, petate, ikamen, dase.

[2] Meaning coa.r.s.e stuff.

[3] Bayones, bayong, canastro, banyot.

[4] The Bureau of Education has taken steps to procure a series of dyes suited to each one of the mat straws and other important fibers used in household industries and industrial instruction in the Philippines.

[5] A tint is a paler or less intense tone than the standard color. A shade is a darker, more intense tone of the standard color.

[6] Bulletin No. 33 of the Bureau of Education, ent.i.tled "Philippine Hats."

[7] This office is indebted to Mr. E. D. Merrill, Botanist, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I., for placing at its disposal an unpublished ma.n.u.script on the Flora of Manila. Information from the following sources is also acknowledged:

Engler and Prantl: Das Pflanzenreich.

Hooker's Flora of British India, 1894.

Blanco's Flora de Filipinas, 1877.

The sugar and alcohol produced by the palms are discussed by Dr. H. D. Gibbs in the Journal of Science, Manila, Vol. VI, Sec. A, No. 3. Hats are also discussed by Mr. C. B. Robinson in the same Journal, Vol. VI, Sec. C, No. 2.

[8] Buri (in most localities), buli or bule, silag, ebus.

[9] It is probable that some of the double Moro mats which will be described under the heading "Pandan Straws" are woven from buri straw.

[10] Due to the efforts of Elmer D. Merrill and A. D. E. Elmer, Botanists of Manila, aided by Prof. Martelli, of Florence, Italy, our knowledge of Philippine pandans has been greatly broadened. It is hoped that interested persons into whose hands this paper may come will help to extend it by sending specimens of pandans for identification to the Bureau of Education, Manila. Such specimens should consist of the ripe fruit and of at least two full-grown leaves from which no spines or tips have been removed, and which have been cut as close as possible to the stem.

[11] Bulletin No. 33, Bureau of Education. Journal of Science, Manila, Vol. VI, Sec. C, No. 2.

[12] To settle, if possible, the question of whether sabutan flowers and fruits, inquiries and investigations on the ground were made in Tanay and Pililla by a representative of the General Office of the Bureau of Education. The people interviewed in these towns were positive in their statements that they had never seen the fruit of this pandan though they did remember seeing the flower. Every possible effort was made to get accurate, reliable information. An old man was engaged as guide and a male inflorescence of sabutan was found in a patch located on a hillside, under the shade of trees and surrounded by considerable underbrush. The patch, according to the statement of the old man was older than he could remember; the age of the guide was, perhaps, between sixty and seventy years. The flowers were odorous and covered with small brown insects almost hiding the inflorescence.

[13] Plain double pandan mats, the material of which resembles sabutan, are imported from Singapore and sold by Chinese storekeepers in Manila in large quant.i.ties. They are roughly made and the fact that they are double permits the unfinished edges to be turned under and sewed down with coa.r.s.e red cotton twine. They sell for a little less than the plain, single, Tanay sabutan mats with finished edges.

[14] It is very difficult to obtain definite information with exact figures. These statements were made by a woman expert in weaving mats, and owing to the frank answers to the questions put, her information seems more reliable than that of the usual weaver interviewed. Other persons state that from two to six leaves are taken from a plant every month.

[15] Three liters equal 1 ganta.

[16] Sabutan lends itself easily to the fabrication of pocketbooks useful as purses, card-cases or cigarette-cases. From it can also be made very pretty, strong, durable and useful handbags. The weaving of both of these articles has been taken up in the schools of Tanay, but it is not as yet commercial in the town. Sets consisting of a handbag and a pocketbook in the same color and design are attractive.

[17] Sabutan suckers may be purchased from several firms in Manila at P5 per hundred, freight prepaid. In shipping, the plants are packed in baskets so that they can be easily handled. It is believed by persons who have received shipments from this source that the plants will remain in good condition out of the ground for a week or more during shipment. Hence it is not advisable for places more remote than one week from Manila to order any of these plants. For further information see Circular No. 82, s. 1911, Bureau of Education. It is probable that suckers can be obtained from the cultivated plants in about a year after they are set out.

[18] At this writing no data are at hand as to the preparation of sarakat straw, but it is probably made simply by drying. It is possible that much stronger and more pliable straw could be obtained if a process such as is used in the preparation of sabutan were followed.

[19] Vol. I, No. 1 of the Philippine Agriculturist and Forester. A description of the plant occurs in Mr. A. D. E. Elmer's leaflets.