Weaving

Weaving, an innovative art that has evolved centuries ago, is the process of intertwining threads to create fabric or sheet of cloth. This technique is considered to have been invented in Central Asia and later spread to almost the entire globe. The process of weaving was carried out on a loom and involved manual or automatic intricate interlacing of the two or more threads involved in forming the cloth. Weaving can be used to create varied kinds of cloth such as curtains, bedspreads and rugs.

Typically, weaving involves two threads being oriented perpendicular to each other. The two threads are called the warp and the weft. The threads are mounted over harnesses attached to the loom on which the weavers work on. After the industrial revolution, the weaving process was replaced by an automatic, mechanical process. The outcome of the weaving can be either a plain cloth or a multicoloured one. More than one colour can be created by using different coloured threads or using an alternate weaving technique.

Some common weaving methods include Jacquard weaving, tablet weaving and inkle weaving. Jacquard looms may be computer controlled, increasing accuracy, speed and durability of the final cloth. Tablet weaving involves the use of tablets having various polygonal shapes having holes in them. In the case of inkle weaving, the loom is called an inkle loom with the threads and yarn being fixed to the heddle of the loom. Weaving is also used for creating cloth or sheets of fabric using different materials like cotton, wool and silk.