What is songket weaving?

Songket is a fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles of the Malay world (today, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. It is hand-woven in silk or cotton, and intricately patterned with gold or silver threads. The metallic threads stand out against the background cloth to create a shimmering effect.

What does warp mean in weaving?

In weaving, lengthwise yarns are called warp; crosswise yarns are called weft, or filling. Most woven fabrics are made with their outer edges finished in a manner that avoids raveling; these are called selvages. They run lengthwise, parallel to the warp yarns.

Which direction does warp go in weaving?

Woven fabrics are produced on a loom by interlocking yarns lying in a vertical (warp) and a horizontal (weft) direction.

How is the songket used in the weaving process?

The songket technique itself involves the insertion of decorative threads in between the wefts as they are woven into the warp, which is fixed to the loom. They are inserted as part of the weaving process, but not necessary in the making of the cloth.

What kind of weaving is done in West Java?

The loom is used to hold the strands of the warp thread while the feed thread is inserted transversely between the strands of the warp thread. Crossing patterns between warp threads and weft yarns are called webbing. Some areas that are well known for best woven fabric production are West Sumatra, Palembang, and West Java.

Where are the best songket weavers in Indonesia?

Songket weaving traditions at first, historically associated with Srivijaya empire, a wealthy 7th to 13th-century maritime trading empire based on Sumatra. Palembang and Minangkabau Pandai Sikek area are the best and the most famous songket producers in Indonesia.

How does a weaver use a loom to weave?

Before weaving is done, the Weaver put the installation of warp threads parallel to each other in the loom according to the width of the desired cloth. The loom is used to hold the strands of the warp thread while the feed thread is inserted transversely between the strands of the warp thread.