Twenty- five Seven

Weaving yarns #A to Z Challenge

April 27, 2017
Weaving Yarns.

Over the past three weeks, I’ve learnt a lot about the different kinds of weaves from India. It has been an interesting journey for me and I hope it has been equally interesting for you. Each and every part of India has a different weaving tradition. In Bengal we have fine cottons like Tangail, Baluchari and Jamdani. From the Eastern states we have Mung Silk, Bomkai and Sambalpuri Ikkat. Kanjeevaram, Dharmavaram, Gadwal, Narayanpeth from the South . Riotous colours in Ikkat weaves from Gujarat.

Our textiles are tied and dyed, woven with gold thread , printed and embroidered. We have an ancient tradition that can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Indeed, the discovery of needles and bits of cloth among the ruins of Harappa and Mohen-jo-daro prove that.

Image source Wikipedia

Warp and Weft

But did you know the basics of weaving?
- Weaving is done on a loom or frame
- Weaving refers to process by which the horizontal thread is passed through the fixed vertical threads.
- The thread along the length of the fabric is called the Warp
- The thread that is passed through the Warp along the breadth of the fabric is called the Weft.
- The texture of the fabric depends on the Yarn or fibre used to make the cloth
- Patterns of the are woven along the weft with coloured or pre-dyed yarn according to a template.
- Blended textiles are made of a different yarn for the warp and a different yarn for the weft
- Weaving done by hand is known as Handloom
- Cloth is also woven by machines and is known as Powerloom textiles
Yarns
- The fibre that makes up the yarn determines the kind of textile. E.g. Cotton textiles are made of cotton.
- Natural fibres like cotton, silk, linen, jute, hemp, cashmere and wool are spun into Yarn which is then used for weaving
- Of late bamboo and even wood pulp ( viscose ) and wool are spun into Yarn which is then used for weaving.
- Synthetic fibres used in weaving are chemically made like nylon, polyester, acrylic, nylon, rayon, acetate, spandex, latex, Orlon and Kevlarute.
We weave cloth out of yarn that is spun from fibres and make textiles for use in every day life.

In the words of the modern day American poet Vachel Lindsay

[Tweet “Life is a loom, weaving illusion.”]

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Valkalam and Venkatgiri #AtoZChallenge 2017

April 27, 2017

I’m afraid there’s been a delay in posting V but there was a major miscalculation of time on my part . I had a ton of things to do , and too little time to do them.

Apart from a lack of time, there was a toss up between which two southern beauties I should write about. Valkalam or Venkatgiri?

Venkatgiri

But let me start with Venkatgiri, soft, pure cotton that my mother loved so. These saris are woven in the town of Venkatgiri in Andhra Pradesh. Once upon a time, these saris were the patronized by the royal family and nobility of Nellore . This was largely because the saris were customised so that each piece was unique! Even today this tradition continues and you can be sure that your Venkatgiri is truly one of a kind. What sets this apart from the normal south cotton is the fine weave and the use of large Jamdani style motifs in the Pallu. Using mango, peacocks, parrots or swans in fine zari, and set in a sharply contrasting background, these saris have a simple elegance.

And combined with the comfort of cotton, this becomes an unmatched favourite for daily wear. With Zari thread worked in, the sari becomes more expensive and is the obvious choice for a summer celebration.

Valkalam

Ever since I got my first and only Valkalam, I’ve been fascinated by the name .Valkalam sounds exotic as it runs off the tongue. Made of pure silk, it’s border and pallu is woven with contrasting coloured threads.

Unfortunately I can’t find much information about this weave except that it’s rich satiny feel makes it an ideal sari to wear for special occasions.

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Uppada- Yet Another Stunner #AtoZChallenge 2017

April 25, 2017

The other day I was glancing through an issue of a glossy magazine. Surprisingly,I found that the ladies from the South preferred to wear saris rather than the trousers or Salvar Kurtis. And when I see the rich tradition of the saris from the South, I know why.

Contrary to what most people imagine, the sari is easy to drape and comfortable to wear. In addition, it is elegant and graceful – it hides what you want to hide and shows off what you want to! And when you think of the stunning weaves like the Uppada, you can under understand why this dress has withstood the test of time.

So what’s so special about the Uppada?

This is a relatively new tradition. Jamdani weaving was introduced to the region as late as the late 1980’s. And within a short span of time, it has overtaken the more popular Kanjeevarams , Pochampallis and other saris that the South is famous for.

Unlike the heavy silk Kanjeevaram, the Uppada is light, translucent and almost transparent. The Jamdani work in gold zari or silk thread gives it the feel of richness while yet being light and easy to wear.

It is no wonder then that the Uppada which gets its name from a small coastal town in Andhra Pradesh has become the rage in modern times.

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