Whakairo is the art of wood carving in Māori culture, a prominent and respected role. Many traditional structures, such as the posts of wharenui (meeting houses) or the prow of a waka (canoe), and objects like the taiaha (weapons) are covered in this elaborate carved decoration. While it is a work of art, the carvings also tell a story.
Whakairo requires patience and diligence and is a skill that many Māori continue to hone to both honour their heritage and carry the stories and lessons embedded in the carving forward. Knitting, like whakairo, requires patience and diligence.
I use knitting, specifically knitwear design, to honour my heritage and carry the stories, values, and lessons of my people forward. I wanted to create a piece to pay tribute to this art form, which I was able to recreate the feel through the usage of twisted stitches and cables for a fabric rich in texture. On a personal note, some members of my family are wood-carvers, using their talents to decorate wharenui and marae.
The Whakairo top is the sibling pattern to the Whakairo cowl. I loved working with the rich textured stitch pattern (originally created by Hitomi Shida) so much, I wanted to explore it again in another form.
This top is worked bottom-up, in the round until the armhole separation, where each side is worked flat. The drop shoulder, boxy type fit with minimal shaping only at the armholes, makes it really easy to make adjustments as you please.