Weaving for Dummies

Before the war, Cambodia was a great silk-weaving center as mulberry trees (the diet of silkworms) grew plentifully and mothers had taught their daughters this ancient art for generations. Under the Pol Pot regime, there was no need for fine clothes and people were forced to leave their homes and livelihoods to labor for the Khmer Rouge. During this time, nearly 30% of the population died and much knowledge was lost. Since the democratic elections in 1993, weaving has been making a comeback, and more and more women are returning to this craft as a good way to support their family while staying at home. Several husbands and sons are being drawn to it too. There are now around 20,000 weavers in Cambodia. Ever wondered just HOW they do it?


STEP 1

Go to your nearest market and purchase raw silk and your dye of choice (natural and chemical options are available). It takes 30 kilos of silk @ $3.20 per kilo for 1 loom. After purchasing your materials, prepare the silk by placing it in boiling water to color and make the threads denser and stronger. The silk must be stirred to ensure the dye is spread evenly. Remove and hang to dry. Once dried, the loose threads must be wound onto a wheel in preparation for the next step.


STEP 2

It takes a special skill to prepare a loom and many weavers don't do it themselves. Instead, they hire a specialist to string up the lengthwise warp threads and prepare the templates that determine any design to appear on the textile. It's detailed and time-consuming work. This process takes up to a month, depending on the complexity of the pattern. Each preparation is enough for about 3-4 months of weaving, creating 60+ pieces.


STEP 3

Once the loom is prepared, it's time to begin. The process by which the longitudinal warp threads are woven together is the primary function of the looms basic mechanism. The weaver uses their foot to move the warp threads up and down in three separate layers. The space in between is called the shed.


STEP 4

The three layers are alternated in turns to the "up"position after each pass of the shuttle is thrown back and forth. The shuttle is a torpedo-shaped piece of wood that holds a bobbin of thread inside. This is how the latitudinal weft is created. The foot pedals also control other areas to raise and lower independent of the rest to enable to weaver to create intricate patterns. Depending on the pattern, there may be several shuttles, each holding a different colored bobbin.


STEP 5

This repetitive process goes on for many hours a day and for days on end. One piece of basic weaving typically takes 3 days. More complex patterns, especially of 100% silk, take up to 7-10 days per 3.6 meter length piece - called Kben. The profit a skilled weaver makes a day after it's all said and done? About 2 bucks.


You can also check the "link" to our Khmer Portraits album with lots of new shots from the field, including many weavers.