APPLICATION OF JUTE FIBRE CROCHETING TO SOME ASPECTS OF INTERIOR DECORATION IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study focused on the production of some selected interior decoration items with jute fibre using crocheting method. The aim and objectives of the research is to investigate sources and availability of Jute fibre in Ekiti State, study different techniques and process of crocheting using jute fibres and produce selected items of Interior decoration using crocheting method. In order to achieve the aim and objectives of the research, experimental design was used. Jute fibre crocheting is one of the craft that has many advantages which has not been explored in Ekiti state. The Jute fibre itself gotten from the stem of jute plant is one of the environmental friendly fibre which is cultivated in every town in the state. It also has several advantages which include 100% bio-degradability, recyclability and replenishing earth nutrients. It is environmentally friendly because it does not emit toxic gases and it requires little or no chemicals during planting and growing, so it poses no threat to the environment. The study revealed that crocheting interior decoration items using jute is not practiced in the state but only done with wool to produce baby accessories and wears. Crocheting has many advantages apart from creating more income to the person practicing it; it also has some health benefit especially for the arthritis patient which enables them to exercise their fingers. Crocheted Jute fibres find use in sophisticated fields like decorative and furnishing material which has made home accessories made with crochets very beautiful due to the extreme versatility of crochets. The materials sourced locally was jute sacks and were processed into yarns by loosening the sacks, bleached to remove impurities and dyed into different colours using vat dye. Readymade yarns were also sourced from an online store in China which was combined to increase the yarns available for the research. Several techniques and processes of crocheting were explored which includes different types of stiches like single, seed, double, triple treble and so on. Techniques like checkerboard, picot, shell and so on were also used. From the report of findings done on this research, it was deduced that most people in Ekiti State do not know the source jute and jute sacks can be reused as yarns for crocheting. The study has also revealed the potential of planting and using jute to crochet interior decoration items. This is due to the many advantages of jute fibre and crocheting which will encourage interior decorators and people practicing crocheting to widen their scope and explore the use of jute fibre. The study also recommended that Government can encourage other States who are co-owners of the moribund Odua Textiles to resuscitate it to process jute fibre. Therefore, it will be a great opportunity for Nigeria to access the technology necessary to process jute fibres in order to produce quality home furnishing products and handicrafts and also to encourage farmers to cultivate Jute for its edible leaves and the fibre procured from the bast or skin of the plants stem because it’s the cheapest vegetable fibre and can be started with a low capital investment and with a lower cost.