MODULE 3:

RATTAN AND VINE

CRAFT, EMBROIDERY
AND BASKETRY
 RATTAN AND VINE
CRAFT KINDS OF VINE
Vines are plants that lean, twine, or crawl. They cannot
stand on their own since their stems are small and slender,
and cannot carry their foliage without the support of a sturdy
material. The stems of vines, however, are tough although
pliant. The skin is strong while the inner core is fibrous.
These different qualities of vines make them good materials
for basketry, tiers or fences, corrals, and for light structure
work as in roof construction of bamboo and nipa houses.
Nito - is a twinning plant. When young, the
stem is green which turns white, brown or
black as it matures. As it grows, the leaves
fall leaving a knotted mark. Occasionally it
branches where the leaf grows. Nito is a
small vine twining on shrubs or bushes. The
diameter of the stem is approximately 2-4
mm and 1-5 m long. The outer part of the
stem is splint with the inner side scraped, as
a splint and used as tiers or weavers as well
as decoration in weaves. It is hard when dry
and pliant when fresh, or when soaked in
water. Nito is actually a twining fern.
Rattan - is a non-twining vine which grows
slender leaning on tall trees. The trunk is from 15
cm in diameter with nodes where the leaf sheath
was attached. The leaves resemble a palm with
thorns or spines on the petiole. It grow from 5-20
meters long without branches except when the
growing point is injured. Small rattan known as
Sica is splinted into tiers or weavers. Its body is
solid fiber and pulp with the inner weaker than the
back. The layer close to the skin is the strong
splint. Splints of shallow nodes are used in seat
canning gauges to various sizes. The inner side is
scraped to produce a thin and clean splint. Rattan
splints of 3 m are bundled by hundreds and sold.
Larger rattan known as Palasan are from 2-6
cm in diameter used in furniture making.
Cuttings of 3 m or more are sold by the
hundreds. Rattan stems do not have hollow
and the strong part is close to the skin of fine
fiber and pulp. The innermost part is course
and weak. Removing the skin exposes the
peel which is strong and shiny when polished.
Rattan or oway is commonly found in tropical jungles
of the Far East, but Philippine rattan is the finest rattan
in the world. Deep and shady places in the Philippines
forest is the best breeding places of rattan. This forest
product will vanish unless conserved and cultures. The
use exhausts faster the supply from the slow growth of
the plant. Today supply of rattan comes from the
remotest forest of Palawan and Mindanao. The supply
from Negros and other part of the Philippine aiready
exhausted.
Cutting rattans- a bender is devised to bend rattan. Dry
large size stems are hard to bend. Two pieces of wood or large
iron pipe of 7.5 cm in diameter are bound together spaced
between allowing the stem of rattan to be inserted. The point
or part to be bent is heated with a blowtorch then bent to the
desired bend of rounded corner. After the bend, they are tied
to make the bend fixed when cooled off. Circular bend is
done just the same moving the bend on the straight stem to
the end using the stem as a lever. Brown or dark spots are
scraped with a spokeshave to have a uniform white stern.
Rattan of 2.5 cm or less in diameter is easier to bend even
without heating.
•Assembling rattan parts- pieces of furniture
made of rattan are assembled by nailing using
the common butt joint. A 5-7.5 cm finishing
nail is used. The joint is wrapped with rattan
splints to reinforced the strength and conceal
the joint. Usually a rounded corner
reinforcement is provided on cross or "T" joint
for strength and contour enrichment.
 Development of Philippine Embroidery
Embroidery is the ornamentation of textiles and other materials
with needlework for personal use and decoration not only at
home but for offices as well. The tem embroidery is an English
word derived from the old French embroiders meaning edge and
border.
Embroidery was introduced into the Orient by the
Netherlanders in the 15th century. It bought by the Spaniards
into the Philippines where it has made a wonderful growth, and
work done it rivals the best work done in Switzerland, a country
noted for its exquisite embroidery.
 Tape measure -use for
Gauge- Use to measure
measuring more than one-
short distance foot distance or materials
Thimbles- made of metal or
plastic, protect the middle finger
and push the needle while doing
your embroidery work. This
come in sizes 6 (small) to 12
(large)
Embroidey hoop/stiletto-made
of wood, bone, metal or plastic
use to make eyelets in the fabric
to be embroidered. It is also use to
keep the fabric stretched while
embroidery stitches are applied on
the design.
Embroidery scissors is small, sharp and pointed good for
line work use tor trimming scallops, clipping threads, and
cutting large eyelets

Protect the blade by keeping them in sheath or covered and

get them sharpened occasionally.

Needle threader -Is use for easier

threading especially by those
sewers with poor eyesight. Pounce-
is fine powder used in transferring
design by pricking method.
Embroidery needle a short pieces of
steel with a fine point at one end and a
little opening or eye at the other. The
kind of embroidery work to do and the
kind of thread to use are two things to
be considered in choosing your needle.

Crewel sizes 1-10 are sharp-pointed,

medium length with large eyes for
easy threading they are used for
most standard embroidery stitchery.
Chenille sizes 13-26 are
also sharp-pointed needles
but they are thicker and
longer and have large eyes.
They are types of needles
appropriate for embroidery
that is worked with heavier
yarns.
Tapestry needle is from sizes
13-26. They are similar in size
to chenille but are blunt rather
than sharp. This makes them
best for thread-counting
embroidery and for the needle
point as well.
 Water color brush
use for transferring Tracing paper used for
Pin cushion-a place
the design using tracing designs.
for pins and needles.
pricking and
pouncing methods.
 Sewing box use to keep
together the embroidery
tools and materials

Bag-to keep work clean and

fresh, have a bag made from
washable material to hold
your work when not busy on
it