“Anyone who believes that the process of producing fabric, by interlacing warp and weft, solely belongs to artisan weavers, must change their mindset. Weaving is easy and can be practised by anyone, irrespective of age and without assigning it to one cluster or community,” says Kalyani Pramod, director, Shuttles and Needles, a centre that celebrates the art of weaving.
Pramod and R Naresh (managing director) have come together to establish this centre with the mission to make weaving accessible for all. “In our culture, the sewing machine is common in most households, and Gandhi spinning khadi yarn is a familiar metaphor, but beyond that, common people distance themselves from weaving,” says Naresh, a textile engineer by profession. The duo says that its idea is to focus on the creative side of weaving, and enable it by providing the techniques and tools required. “We are trying to expand the reach, and make young and old take it up as a hobby. And for any hobby to be sustained, it is important to have easy-to-use tools and simple techniques,” says Naresh, who has sold many such looms to an old age home in the city. “To kill boredom and loneliness in old age, weaving is a good alternative, and in these compact looms, they can weave effortlessly. It keeps the brain active, and delays the onset of dementia and other age-related issues.”
At Shuttles and Needles, there are compact looms of various sizes. The smallest one, which Naresh calls the laptop loom, because of its size, consisting of 10 inches warp and 20 inches weft, costs about ₹10,000, and is most suitable for beginners. There is a slightly bigger, foldable loom, which can be mounted on a stool or table, and is portable. These mini and compact wooden looms are imported from New Zealand (Ashford), Japan (Saori) and the US (AVL).
“Even though our country has a rich weaving tradition, we import the looms because of the quality of wood and almost no-maintenance design,” says Naresh.
Pramod, a textile designer, points out that she has made many attempts to create small-size looms with locally available carpenters, but in vain. “These looms are user-friendly. In fact, it is easier than using a smartphone. Kids can be initiated into this hobby, as it will be a fulfilling experience for them. It is a chance for the kids to create something on their own,” says Pramod. Naresh joins her to say, “Nothing can match the simple joy of weaving. This activity can boost confidence levels, help learn calculations and think out-of-the-box in terms of creativity.”
Looks like shedding, picking and beating will no longer be jargon restricted to the weaving community. The centre conducts workshops periodically, for those who have a loom. Every Saturday, there is an open class, where anyone can come over to exchange ideas and interact with other weavers.
At the centre, one can also learn felting, both needle felting and wet felting. Various types of yarns, such as wool, engineered yarn, cotton and linen yarn, are sold here. Natural dye yarns are also available. “We don’t give recipes for weaving. But what we do provide is technology for weaving, enabling them to do it themselves. It is the creative mind that we attempt to inspire. Weaving is a wonderful hobby, which once learnt will stay with the person forever,” says Naresh.