Friday, April 23, 2010

a handwoven fabric tour


During my short getaway to Bali last month I got the chance to visit a relative there who happen to be a manufacturer of hand woven fabrics from natural fibers such as pineapple and silk.

Too bad I didn't get to see the process in the workshop since it's closed due to a national holiday, but I did get some photos of the workshop. The photo on your left is where the cocoon of the silk moth unravelled to get the silk fiber, while the the photo on your right shows where they make threads from the silk fibers. But I didn't take photos of the hand weaving machines there *duh!*


Not only the fabrics are beautiful, but there are some of them which already got awards from international fabric competitions. Like the fabric displayed below (with a white paper note on it) is the one that got two awards in The ASEAN Silk Fabric and Fashion Design Competition 2009: Top Award from H.M. Queen Sirikit of Thailand & 1st Royal Thropy Award from Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative. The dye used comes from natural origin such us plants.



Among the beautiful fabrics there I fell for this gorgeous white handwoven silk fabric. The texture and pattern from the skilled craftmanship just blew me away! Only then I learned that it's not for sale.. oh well. Yet I got
a pretty blue-grey hand woven silk shawl as a gift, which quickly convert my disappointment into happiness ^_^

3 comments:

Fiona said...

what an eye opener!

Lia said...

Na!!!! Ini si tenun imam yah!!!! They're such nice and friendly people :). I love the lovely young couple .... I am so addicted to their beautiful fabrics :) and contributed to my unnecessary large spending :(. Iya, cotton time, cotton on sama cucito uda langganan. I am addicted to japanese books!

designer said...

Iya betul Lia, tenun imam :)
pantesan penampakan kainmu mirip gitu hehe..
And you're right, japanese books are so addictive!