Manipulating Indigenous Vegetable-Tanned Leather for Use in Crocheting Art

Abstract

The study explores techniques and methods used in converting indigenous vegetable-tanned leather into yarns that can serve as an alternative material and convert the locally made yarns into crocheted ladies containers and footwear using different stitches. It embraces a qualitative research of which the approach implements two various approach’s (Descriptive and Studio-based research). The novelty of the study came from sampling, which consisted of Crochet Artisans, Leatherworks Teachers, and Leather Technologists within the above areas. The Crocheting Artisans were selected through the snowball sampling technique, whereas the Leatherwork Teachers and Leather Technologists were selected using the purposive sampling technique. The results from data gathered via the project experiments involved studio activities in converting the local vegetable-tanned leather into yarns and crocheting the yarns into ladies containers and footwear using different stiches were analysed and discussed. The study concludes that indigenous vegetable-tanned leather is suitable for use in making crocheting yarns and crocheting artefacts due to its strength, flexibility, and hook construction. Moreover, spiral cutting techniques came out to be the most appropriate technique for cutting leather into yarns for use in crocheting art. The study recommends that the use of leather in making crocheting yarns should follow these steps - the cutting of leather, softening of leather (wet pounding) and dyeing of leather (vat dye and the mixture of suede and insoluble dye). In addition, the study suggests that to create diversity in crocheting yarns, crocheting artefacts and expand leather usage, the potential leather should be tapped by both Crocheting and Leather Artisans.