Exquisite Piña from the Phillipines

Pineapple fiber or Piña is a strong white or creamy cobweb-like fiber drawn from tall leaves of an indigenous pineapple plant. The fiber is hand stripped from the leaves in lengths of about 18 inches to 3 feet, sun-bleached, hand knotted and spun.

 

It is commonly used in the Philippines where it is sometimes combined with silk or polyester to create a textile fabric.

 

Thanks very much to Karen Angel N  and Quing Obillos for the use of their lovely detailed photographs of Piña embroidery.

Mommysaurus75 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mommysaurus75/5551708114/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Quing Obillos      

http://www.flickr.com/photos/quingobillos/4128406268/

 

And thank you to Karen Ilagan for this beautiful wedding dress photograph.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenilagan/2223115934/

Two fascinating youtubes were made almost 100 years apart - 1918 and 2012 - on the production of Piña. You will make some interesting observations about factory production in the 1918 film "Luzon Lingerie" . . .

 

 

The youtube made in 2012 clearly shows the process but is too long to include on the blog: If you would like to watch it here's the address:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRvWiiGoOzI
Anne