Up in the clouds... My Sparkly Pink Pair of Kasut Manek

I took a trip down to Malacca last weekend. Having finished off my beading work, it was time to transform it into a pair of shoes.

My friend told me about a Singapore shoemaker. But said also that he was very busy, and as such could take some time to finish the shoes.  Impatient me, I could not wait.  And since we had this trip to Malacca lined up, I decided that I'd see if there was a shoemaker who could rush my order.  

Truth be told, I actually arranged my trip to Malacca partly also because I needed some push to finish off my shoes.  Well, it worked, didn't it?

The first shop we went to, sadly could not do it in time.  This meant that they would have to post it back to Singapore.  Not an option for someone who has spent six years beading her precious shoes and doesn't want to risk the shoes going astray.

Fortunately the next shop we found could do it in 48 hours, albeit at an express rate.  And the best part - it was in front of our hotel!  And they had this vibrant pink leather to pull the shoe together.   And the next day when we walked past the shop we saw the shoes in the process of being made.  It was an exciting moment!  

I was so pleased to pick them up the next day.  Don't they look absolutely gorgeous!

For reference, the shop is Wah Aik and it is along Heeren Street, aka Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

Done at last! My 6-year beading odyssey

It is with great pride and happiness that I announce the completion of my kasut manek, or Nonya beaded shoes.  I started these off originally in early 2010, thinking that it would take me maybe a year to complete.  Little did I realise ...  ... I overestimated the amount of work available and the time I had to spend on this project.

Be it as it may, let me share the last sequence of photos recording the completion of this massive task.

The pattern I used was the "cloud forest" pattern.  The clouds are supposed to be in different colours but I decided to keep them all in pink, to go with my clothes (and one of my kebayas.

The full sequence of photos documenting my progress on the shoes can be found in this Flickr album.

The next step, of course, is to actually find a shoemaker to transform this into a pair of sparkly shoes!

Almost there, after six years

I have been deliberately holding back this post, so that I could unveil in its full glory the one shoe I have finally completed!  After all, this is the sixth year I have been working on this one project.... .... If anything, I should get an award for perseverance ....

Of course it would have been wonderful if I could have unveiled two completed shoes, but unfortunately didn't quite make the time to finish it over the usually quite productive December period.  

Anyway, here are a few shots of the critical last stages of the left shoe:

One corner done

Sewing the last few beads on the other corner

And that's the whole shoe finished!

Five years nine months

Not much done since the last update, but there was a pick up in pace over the last few weeks.

Five whole years!

I never really expected I'd take so long.  An exercise in perseverance, I like to call it.

What feels good is the sense of progression now, as I can do two or even three rows at a time, as I go down to the bottom of the shoe.  So maybe I'll be inspired to push on, and finish quickly. the end is in sight! (Or have I said that before.)

Outlines completed

And here we have it folks!  Slightly belated, as my cousin's wedding was last week and I didn't have time to work on it.  But I have at last completed the outlines of the two shoes.  Now to fill in the remainder...

Four years - the beginning of the end?

Well, it has been four years since I started on this kasut manek project.  I'm glad to say that there was greater momentum over the past year and I'm on the last stage of my right shoe.  Now to move back to the left shoe to even up the progress.

Right shoe - outline completed

 Hope that I can move faster this year - would be so exciting to see one shoe completed at least!

On Par

At last!  My right shoe has caught up with my left shoe!  I thought that reaching this milestone warranted two kasut manek posts in quick succession :-)

Now, to actually finish a shoe...

Three More Lines ...

... till my right shoe catches up with my left shoe!  Now I have two half complete shoes!

Progress this last six months has been reasonably good (for me that is).  I have been diligently going at it every weekend, trying to at least finish off the better part of a row.  

I showed a photo of the work in progress to a friend of mine who doesn't have much experience with shoe beading/embroidery.   She thought I had finished one side already - At least someone was impressed!  (Photo taken using my iPad camera).

Propping me up for the past three years

My Ikea shelf brackets hold up my beading frame

When I visited the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, one thing that caught my eye was the beading stand which young nonyas used to prop their beading frames on. Alas, such beautiful antique pieces are not easily found and in any case, are pretty pricey. So when I wanted to find something to prop up myown beading frame, I had to find an alternative. Ikea to the rescue! Two wall shelf brackets (the same colour as my beading frame) did the trick nicely and have been serving me well ever since. With a light shining right on the frame, it is quite an ideal beading set-up (see left).  By the way, the reason why the surroundings look a little dark is probably  due to the camera exposure.  It is actually taken in the light of day.

After 3 years....

 Anyway, six months have rolled around again and it's time for my regular update. It's my third year on this single pair of shoes and I am happy to say that the top halves of both shoes are complete now, and the right shoe is slowly catching up with the left. The cloud pattern is showing up quite nicely, I think.

On hindsight, maybe I should not have made such large shoes. I'd be that much closer to finishing them off, more encouraging for a beginner like myself.

Three year beading history here.

Two Shoes

It has been six months since my last update on my kasut manek project. Well, I would have been happier if I had managed to do a bit more, but it is what it is!  But, I am pleased that it is beginning to look like a pair of shoes!

A pair of shoes emerges

Right shoe, in progress

At the two year mark

At the two year mark, a photo by Taking5 on Flickr.

Well, it has been two years and in the interest of complete transparency I guess I should share the current status of my beaded shoe project.

As you can see, progress has not been the greatest.

On the plus side, I have started on the second shoe... on the down side, have not finished the first!

Reason is that I'm running a little low on one colour of the beads and it is proving difficult to top up as the shops don't stock this type any more. So am making sure that the shoes are going to match by using the remainder of the beads to complete the other side to the same level and then I'll just have to work out how to complete the bottom part of both shoes. Or hopefully by then the new stock will be in!

My Favourite Kasut Manek Photos

Kasut Manek, a gallery on Flickr.

Well, I did promise that I had a few new posts in the pipeline. And so I do, except of course that this particular one may not be particularly exciting to anyone as it is really an excuse to update on the status of my Kasut Manek project, of which nothing has been heard for months.

But first, let me share a number of lovely kasut manek photos which I've found on Flickr. These are a mixture of old shoes, new shoes, and shoes in progress.  More information can be found in the gallery itself (and more updated photos, as and when I find them).

Now back to my own personal kasut manek.  Indeed, it has been slow going. I am now at the widest part of the shoe, so the rows progress slowly. But there has indeed been some discernable movement (after all these months there had better be!) as the little pink beads move further down the canvas, light pink shading down to medium and then to dark metallic pink.

For those who have requested for my pattern, I ask you for your patience. I don't really have a scanner and will need to photograph the existing pattern, clean it up etc etc. Am rather busy (as the slow progress on my shoes also indicates) and will need to find time to do this as well.

Patience

My cousin came by for dinner the other night.  I proudly showed her my beadwork thus far.  However, my cousin took one look and said "you're going to finish in 10 years' time"!

Sad to say, progress has indeed been slow.  This careful, painstaking work is not for everyone.  And, other projects and activities do get in the way.  But I have been plugging at it slowly.  In the past few weeks, I have reviewed the size of the shoe and decided to make it a little more generous than the pattern suggests, did a row of edging and filled in some of the beads between the edging and the existing work.  Note: this was probably the most tedious part.  So, this is where I'm at now:

Still got a long way to go, but that's ok. I take a look back at where I started and am proud of the progress made.  And, I'll be that much prouder of my accomplishment when I finally finish them off.

See how far I've come: photos on Flickr.

Beading Resources On-Line

I have received a number of queries on how to start beading, where to get courses, etc.  I should repeat that I am really just a beginner too.  Nonetheless, I have done some on-line searching, and found some useful links.  I would also like to thank the various individuals who have left comments or emailed me and given tips, some of which I've included here. 

So here are some beading resources which other beginners may find useful:

i) Mini-tutorial by Craft Passion. There are four parts to this tutorial in total, so here's the link to just the first one.  This provides a good overview and introduction to how to make kasut manek.

ii) Article (from The Star Online) on Ms Khoo Lay Imm, from Penang. Ms Khoo is willing to teach people how to bead, and her email is provided in the article.

iii) Video featuring Mr Robert Sng of "Little Shophouse" in Bussorah Street, Singapore and giving some background on Peranakan beading.

Beads, patterns, thread and other bead-making apparatus can be purchased from Little Shophouse.

iv) Last but not least, Rumah Bebe website. Bebe Seet has been teaching Peranakan beadwork for a number of years and has written a definitive book on the subject: "Peranakan Beadwork: My Heritage" which I mentioned in an earlier post.  Her shop also sells beadmaking stuff.

I do hope this is useful to all. I do apologise that there is not much on Malaysian-based shops or resources, if anyone would like to add on please do feel free to do so.

Pattern Emerging

It has been some time since my last update on the kasut manek beading project.  Partly because there has not been much progress on the shoes.  I must admit that I have been a little lazy, but the other reason was because I developed a few floaters in my eyes.  Got the eyes checked and they are ok, but I wanted to rest my eyes a bit.  Also, the floaters are a little bit irritating and I had to get used to them.  Anyway, I have started up again, and will take it slow and easy. 

At this stage of the project, I am happy to say that with each individual bead, the pattern of floating, pink clouds is really taking shape, as can be seen from the photo.  I am now so familiar with the pattern that I don't really need the pattern sheet to refer to all the time - I just figure it out from the beads which were sewn on earlier. 

In a sense it is easy to familiarise oneself with a regular, repetitive pattern.  When I was in Malacca earlier this year, we visited a number of beading shops.  What was interesting was that instead of referring to a pattern sheet, the pattern is tacked on to the canvas and the beads sewn on the pattern.  One example, with a beautiful beaded peacock is shown in the photo on the right (alas the tail is not spread out though).  I can see why sewing the beads on the paper makes it easier to finish the design, without mistakes.

The other thing to point out in this picture, is the neat little beaded edging on the shoe.  My friend has taught me the technique, but I have not tried it out yet. Maybe after I've completed another row or two :-)

I'm glad to be back beading again!

p.s.  Because it has been a while, here is the Flickr set which records my progress on the kasut manek project.

Clouds receding into the distance

Clouds receding into the distance
Originally uploaded by Taking5

There are some people who find these beading progress reports fascinating, annd there are some who find it just about as interesting as watching paint dry.

The latter will probably be glad that I decided that I'd update only for real substantive progress. Not because I want to placate them but because the time spent uploading and blogging could be better spent beading (thus having something to show in the first place).

I am pleased nonetheless to announce that I've finished the top left corner of my left shoe; that leaves still a lot of canvas to cover but it is for me a mini-milestone. The only problem is that the pattern I'm using is a little smaller than the template. Willl have to figure out which of the two I want to follow....

The process of beading requires a fair amount of concentration.  Not attending at the right time could result in messy unpicking.  Yet, surprisingly, I find it quite absorbing and enthralling.

See progress thus far, aka watching paint dry.

Clouds on the horizon

I was very busy over this past week so I did not have much time to do any of my beading work.  So, I spent a few hours this weekend working on my shoes.  I am still very slow, but definitely a lot faster than before.

My friend suggested that instead of sewing beads on line by line, I could consider sewing the individual clouds on.  This, she hoped, would result in fewer errors being made.  Didn't quite turn out that way, but indeed, I felt a certain amount of gratification at seeing the pink, rosy clouds take shape quickly beneath my fingers. 

However, due to the design of the clouds, it is resulting in the creation of little corners which are then harder to bead effectively.  So, I may go back to sewing the beads line by line.

I have also been reading the book, "Peranakan Beadwork: My Heritage", by Bebe Seet.  She writes about how she found it difficult to find someone who was willing to teach her to made the beaded shoes.  Finally she found an old lady but after a few months, this old lady passed away.  By then, Bebe had learnt enough to proceed on her own.  I find Rumah Bebe's things a little on the pricey side, but then again, I suppose the knowledge which she took such pains to gain and then to share is priceless.

Turning the first corner

Beading Frame
Originally uploaded by Taking5

I wonder sometimes whether it is wise to natter about my beading progress (or lack of it) in the public domain. Will the fact that I am posting about my "kasut manek project" give me the added motivation to finish the job, or will I eventually slacken off, leaving online only an unfinished tale? We shall see.

After one week, I have completed 1½ rows of beads. It does not sound impressive, I know. But it is much better than 10 beads which is where I was when my friend started off for before she handed over to me.

There is quite a bit of specialised equipment involved in beading – the beading frame, the needles (one extra fine, one large and thick – meant to poke the beads in place), the thread (finer, sturdier than normal cotton thread thread), and the beads of course. Fortunately for me, my kind friend lent me the entire package. I suppose I will get round to buying my own after I finish this pair of shoes (a long way I fear).

The week has been one of ups and downs. I started off fairly well, finishing the row which my friend started me off on. Then, when I turned the corner to start off a new row (we started in the middle of the shoe) I made a mistake, requiring me to unpick. For the uninitiated, this requires that I pass my needle back through the point at which I'd just pushed it through. Not easy. I did it eventually, continued with my beading, and made another mistake. Tried to unpick and managed to snap the thread. Started again, and after another few beads made yet another error. By now, I was feeling a little frazzled. I decided that I'd just continue as a light pink bead being substituted for a white bead did not seem to be something one would notice in the grand scheme of things. Carried on blithely and at the 1¼ row mark, I discovered that I had inserted an extra light pink bead some 15 beads back. (The photo shows my beads and beading frame just before I found out about the error.) This was unlike the previous errors whereby I realised my mistake practically immediately and could adjust very quickly. This extra bead could have ripple effects for my whole shoe pattern. So I unpicked the whole ¼ of my row of beads!!! Sigh. Moral of the story: rectifying mistakes when they are small is so much better than having to clean up larger messes!

Anyway, after that, everything seemed to go quickly. I must be getting the hang of it. Managed to turn yet another corner to start on a fresh row. So that's where we are, 1½ rows after 1 week.

Interested in my progress?  You can see the photos here.

Beginnings

Yesterday, I started off on my first kasut manek project. For those who do not know, the making of kasut manek, or nonya-style beaded shoes, has been enjoying somewhat of a revival here in Singaporer.  Like the embroidered sarong kebaya, kasut manek are instantly identifiable with the peranakan community.These beautifully hand-made shoes are the result of many hours of patient, painstaking work.  In the past, young nonyas would be judged on the quality of their beadwork in the marriage mart.  Today, many people try their hand at it because they want the satisfaction of making and owning a pair of patterned, beaded shoes.

Like myself, for example.  My friend kindly started me off with the loan of a frame and a lesson, Beading 101.  The first lesson I learnt was how to start sewing the beads on, as she started me off with a practice row. Then things got serious.  We selected a pattern - a single large flower, identified the beads and then tried to find a suitable shoe template.  Here, problems arose.  Carefully estimating how big the pattern would be on the shoe, she told me that the open-toed shoe I was planning on was too narrow to support the pattern.  We had to try again,  and this time I selected a simple repetitive pattern - a "Cloud Forest" which would stretch across the shoe.  She then carefully traced the outline of the shoe template onto the canvas on the top of the beading frame, and started off on the first row for me.  Then, she felt that the thread we were using was a little too thick for the needle, unpicked the beads she had just sewn on, and started again, observing sagely that if she was having problems, it was likely that I too would have difficulties with the needle.

Reflecting on her efforts, I realised that the truly important lesson was the importance of planning - she had really taken the time and effort to visualise the end product, and also to make sure that the technical aspects of the beading process were carefully attended to.  With her clarity on the desired end state, and meticulous checking of implementation details, she prevented my kasut manek project from being doomed to failure before I had even started.