Silk Weaving - Kanchipuram Weaving Process

There are few pre preparations to be done before weaving process. The processes are warp loading, punch card loading and weaving. Warp Loading: The loom setting activity is done before weaving process. The yarn after warping is prepared into warp sheets by rolling the length of yarn to an iron rod. The process of transferring the warp sheet into weavers beam is called beaming. In this process the strands of yarn passes through the reeds and healds. This is done by joining each silk strand to the old warp threads manually. It takes nearly 2-3 days to complete the joining process. Generally women folk perform the joining process. Punch Card Making and Loading: Technology is also a part in the production of silk saris. The automated design process has replaced the traditional design process. The image of the motif is first scanned and then it is traced and filled with bitmaps. Finally the image is transferred to the punch cards. Now the punch cards are attached in the form of a chain and loaded into the jacquard machine to start weaving. This automated process is simple and time saving. Weaving in Handlooms: Weaving is done on the fly shuttle pit looms. The weaver interlaces the silk threads of weft and warp. The shuttle passes through the opens formed when the pedal is operated to interlock the threads of warp and the weft. Once the shuttle is passed, the suspended rope from jacquard is pulled to form the weave. The proton of woven cloth is wounded to the wooden beam which is in front of the weaver. After weaving of 6 meters of weft, the portion of unwoven warp is intentionally left before and after the sari weaving which is later knotted for fringe. Thus the weaving is completed; the unwoven stands are cut out with a small metal blade and sari is folded in traditional manner for the marketing. It takes nearly 4 to 5 days to complete one sari. The length of 10 saris warp is loaded into the loom at a time. The weaver may need 1 or 2 persons help while working.