This gorgeous irridescent sari caught my eye immediately. I brought it home with me and hope to make collages where the light plays on the fabric in different ways. So inspiring! It would be lovely as a garment with gathers but I can’t think of anything I would wear. [click photos to enlarge]
THIS IS A SKEIN HOLDER! I asked about the bamboo pieces with “feet” that were laying on the floor under a loom. Immediately a skein was produced to show the purpose. The threads came off beautifully. I would like to think it could be put up on a table.
If you look closely in the corner of the photo the weaver is winding the thread from the skein on a wicker cage-like tool with a stick for a handle. He is winding very fast and the fine silk thread is coming off like magic. I wish I could make skeins that well.
This close-up shows a stack of the cards for the Jacquard loom and the “cage thing” that threads are wound on. They could twirl the cage fast and wind up the thread really fast.
I watched this weaver for a good while while he was separating warp threads so he could move the lease sticks. I thought I was the only one who needed to fiddle to move the sticks sometimes. It’s VERY important to keep the sticks in. The reason is that if a thread breaks you will know exactly where it belongs.
The woman in the sari is weaving along with a fly shuttle that works when she pulls the handle on the cord. (It shoots the shuttle across the warp.) I visited a factory once in another part of India where all the Jacquard weavers were men because lifting all the threads with their weights took a lot of muscle. I was very surprised to see one woman. The others were men but not beefy types.
Fabulous! Thank You for sharing this post!
I am inspired with your trip. Now I know what to do with the bamboo rods my friend sent me from panama, where he is currently working. I just hope you are back in good health since your return to the states. do they wind on one strand at a time or multiples?
Great!!
Oh and the lease sticks, yes for finding where one goes when broke. But also, at least on my loom, if an end breaks I see it laying on the sticks and not flung off the back of the loom out behind the beam dangling down out of sight. 😉
How about a jacket. the kind worn in the 50s waist length and simple in the front with pleats longer in the back. Shaped like a half moon. A simple matching pair of form fitting paints with cuffs a different color. Oh and cuffs around the 3/4 length sleeves. Jan could help design. Wish I was there….in the dance. Swirling Mary
Fascinating! I always love your stories and the amazing things you find out when you travel!