Ng Si Ying

Rattan x Jade I had so much fun weaving these and it’s time to let them go! Reminded me of the time I was making wearable rattan brooches for the Pameran Poskad exhibition. (All sold)

Some jade x rattan explorations. I don’t really like how the rattan is attached to the jade at the moment, but until I find another method, this shall do. Maybe I’ll find a way to attach with some metal? These weavings with 0.5mm rattan are not kind to the eyes and fingers though.

020/100: Rattan as Weave ▢ㄨ▢ I did this weave from inside-out, adding layer by layer, but I think it might’ve been faster and easier to do the squares in separate layers and combine them after with the Xs/diagonals. Nonetheless, good to learn that there’s another way of doing it, which makes me question my methods for some of the other previous weaves.. perhaps there’s a better way to achieve them 🤔

019/100: Rattan as Weave Honeycomb weave. This took a lot more brain power than I hoped for but I’m glad I managed to work it out (sort of). If you have a look at 005, you’ll be able to find some similarities to the pattern—except that this version is repeated and has been flipped (from back to front). It’s usually woven with bamboo, where the strips are able to keep straighter, which ensures a much neater pattern. I tried my best to keep them straight but rattan has a mind of its own.

More to explore, more to be in awe of every amazing master weaver I’ve learnt from (and those I long to learn from), more fun to have and more unfinished works quietly calling out to me. So now, back to work. Outstanding Youth in Intangible Cultural Heritage Award 2025 National Heritage Board, Singapore

I took some time to use this kettle before I decided what to weave on it. I had an electric kettle but wanted to attempt to reduce drinking hot water constantly in contact with some sort of plastic. Being fully metal, it gets very hot after boiling is done. Hence the lid was designed to let me lift it without being too near the pot and steam from the water. I chose a weave that’s slightly exposed because of its 90 degree curvature. If a tight weave is used, you’ll be able to see unintentional gaps at the bends. The beads on the handle is made to fit to my hand, serves no additional purpose other than adding some colour to the things I own and my life 😅 Drink more water everyone!

Since the house has updated the gas hob to an induction hob, I can no longer use it and it will be adopted by someone else who can. It was a simple weave on a clay pot that I bought, but it was used to feed many during a couple of gatherings. Gives me another reason to buy a new pot 🤭

I’ve been spending time on these! I didn’t take any other photos before I sent them away, but these baskets are made with the pattern from Rattan as Weave 017. I found out that weaving for a flat piece and weaving for an actual 3D shape is very different—nonetheless both very fun to figure out and experiment with. Now on to the next thing! My sister asked for a letter holder made with rattan.. so maybe another wall basket coming up, along with my other unfinished projects that I will give more attention to soon enough 🤭

Wanted to create my very own dust beater since my last trip to Mungguk village, with the handle weave that I learnt from the village chief. Took me a very long time to actually figure it out but it’s finally complete! The yellow handmade bead was one I got on one of my trips, but I don’t remember where. I thought it fitting for this beater, though I did sacrifice on functionality a little with the placement of it. It looked more balanced on the top, but it also means I can’t use the front side to beat things. Give and take 🤭 Also makes me wonder why we don’t use or have these anymore.. it’s definitely still 1000% effective. I’m excited to see how it grows with me. Do you guys still have one at home?

After way too long, I can finally listen to music on my commute again!!! A simple rim finishing for this because I seriously don’t have the heart to cut any rattan strips that’s thinner than these 1.2mm ones—those were also initially meant for fixing my fountain pen, oops. Also comparing to the first version I did in 2020.. ahhh words fail me. For the lack of a better way to phrase it, I’m guess I am relieved I am growing in some way or another???

Have you ever wondered how we get the rattan material we see so often? This is how: with a lot of strength, tears, practice, and patience, lots of it. Rattan is a collective name for many species of climbing palms, and can grow up to 30m! Different species can be used in a different ways, based on its characteristics. The stem of the plant is cut, pulled and dragged down from the top of the forest canopy. They then pull it against trees in the forest to get rid of the unwanted skin or spikes and rolled up into bundles (if they are smaller in diameter) or cut to sizeable lengths to carry or transport (for larger diameter species). The processing doesn’t come easy either! Everyone develops their own tools to do the work that needs to be done. Between different materials (rattan, bamboo, bark, leather etc) and their respective craftsmen, they might have similar or very different tools to do the same task. If processed by hand, rattan as be used as a round solid stem (as is) or split into flat strands (rattan skin or peels). The nodes are first smoothened and then the knife is inserted into the centre of the round rattan. With precision, micro adjustments are needed to split it into equal parts. More often than not, an unskilled hand (like mine) will split the rattan unevenly, and cause wastage. The inner part is then scraped away with a knife. To keep the width of the rattan strand even, they have devised various tools, such as making holes in metal lids, and sticking two knife blades into a wooden block to be pulled through. The thickness of the rattan is also reduced skillfully with the knife, a skill I’ve failed to grasp over the short span of 4 days. I’m just thankful that I got away without any cuts on my hands. I’ve a new found respect for the tiny parang that’s so ergonomically designed, and possibly could be used for everything in the processing of the rattan. Making something from scratch don’t come easy, and we’ve hardly had the chance to realise that in our day to day in the city. What a sight to marvel at.

It’s been a trying, rollercoaster month, and there wasn’t much time for rattan except for this knife—commissioned for a wedding/house warming gift. The handle was made of metal, along with the tapered shape, was slippery for the rattan to stay on. I quite enjoy wrapping knives and this piece in particular, took my mind off of a lot of other things that were going on. I hope the recipient will enjoy using it!