Solihiya
Activity 5, January 6, 2022
Solihiya is essentially thin straps of rattan woven into sunburst patterns. Rattan is the outer layer of several species of slender, vine-like palm plant. When it is used as the backrest and seat of chairs and lounges, it lets air through, providing comfortable rest in the tropical heat.
In the past activities that we've been done to do or make, I must say that in making solihiya is the activity that I've had a bit of a hard time to make. The material that I've used in the beginning is the alternative material which is the straw that is used as a binder. I cut the straw to make thin straps. When I started to put the straw in the wooden frame using the gun tacker and stapler everything is okay and looks almost the same in the demo video but when I make a circle in the middle of the gap or spacing it was no longer manageable because the straw is not cut evenly thin and space gap is quite far from each other.
Then, luckily I saw the orange thin ribbon in my brother's art materials. So, I thought that I can use it instead of those straw binders because those orange ribbon the thin is exact and I think that I can make a circle in the gap if I will use it. So far the ribbon placement is nice and well done. Until I reached the part where I will do a circle in the spacing and I was so happy because finally I was able to form a circle in each spacing. But before that, I had a hard time figuring out how to make the pattern just to for a circle so I asked my father to help on how to make the pattern. When I found out and got it, I could easily make the circle in each spacing.
Making solihiya really requires a lot of patience and don't be ashamed to ask for help if you don't know the pattern of the weaving. In order not to surrender in making solihiya, try to listen to your favorite music and also take a rest if you are feel tired. And when you see your finish product it feels so relaxing, you will feel happy and would feel very satisfied.
