Textile Culture: Now and Then

Then

Now

People used ramie they grew or wild as materials.

Later, because of trade with the Han people, Dutch, and Japanese we began to used colorful cotton threads and yarn.

Horizontal Back Stripe Loom (also known as waist horizontal loom) – the weaving using this machine would tie a stripe on her back to pull the warp straight and drive the machine in order to weave horizontally. The component parts including warp drum, Woof Divider, drum pole, separating pole, knife shape stick,and shuttle.

Table Loom – It is a kind of simple weaving machine. It does not have as many parts as a traditional weaving machine has. It only contains a knife shape stick and a shuttle.

Name

Illustrations

Functions

Warp Frame

It is single-pole and double-pole type, which are used to adjust the cloth’s length. The warp frame is the tool to adjust the warp. It is also the last process of finishing the warp on a loom.

Weaving Box (tuklu)

It is mainly used for looming the warp to make the axes of the scroll connect with each other and straighten up the warp.

Fastening Rod

Each warp is tied on the fastening rod and circle around it to fasten the warp to adjust its order and spacing.

Warp and Woof Divider

It separates the warp into two groups, one of which is placed into the woof divider and the other on the divider to form the up and down “shuttle track.”

Reel

Normally, it is made with two pieces of long bamboo stripes. They are used to help pick up the warp in the divider.

Woof Rod

When the separating pole and Woof Divider weave the shuttle tracks, the woof is put in and fastened on the inner side, Then, the woof will be tightened horizontally (same as table loom).

Shuttle

The function of the shuttle is to tie up the warp and woof. When weaving, the weaver slip the shuttles in between the interchanging shuttle track to weave clothe made with warp and woof (same as table loom).

Scroll

Cloth is fastened by tying it tightly on it. Supporting the end where the warp is tied, it is used to straighten the warp.

Belt

It is used to tie up the two ends of a scroll by tying it onto the weaver’s waist as the pivot when the weaver is weaving.

Name

Illustrations

Functions

Shuttle

The function of the shuttle is to tie up the warp and woof. When weaving, the weaver slip the shuttles in between the interchanging shuttle track to weave clothe made with warp and woof (same as table loom). To stretch.

Woof Rod

The function of the shuttle is to tie up the warp and woof. When weaving, the weaver slip the shuttles in between the interchanging shuttle track to weave clothe made with warp and woof (same as table loom). To stretch.

Woof Rod

When the separating pole and Woof Divider weave the shuttle tracks, the woof is put in and fastened on the inner side, Then, the woof will be tightened horizontally (same as table loom).

Process

Pictures

Descriptions

Cutting the Ramie

In the past, ramie was the major economic income for the traditional tribe. For a family, the planting area represents the wealth of that family.

Peel off the Ramie’s Skin

It is necessary to peel off ramie’s skin. With a tool made of bamboo, people scratch away its skin and keep its fiber (white in color). In the past, only women would do the job of peeling ramie’s skin. No man was allowed to help.

Whipping

The fiber peeled off from the ramie is called ramie yarn. In order to upgrade its quality, people have to whip the ramie on the rock to refine the impure substances.

Drying under the Sun

After whipping the yarn, the ramie yarn will be tied up into bundles on the stone and insolated under the sun in order to make it more tenacious and dry its moisture so that it is more convenient for transportation.

Twisting

Holding one end of the ramie yarn with the incisors, people peel off the ramie fibers with their hands. Then, they connect the yarn by twisting them together. Rolling the yarn around the palms, people take off the yarn and tie it in the middle. People call it “Bkuul.”

Rolling

Using rolls (or yarn twisting rods), people will turn the rolls to make the yarn revolve around the rolls until it is 10-20cm in diameter.

Spinning

People use spindles to spin the yarn. After spinning, the yarn has to undergo the following process: boiling, drying under the sun, dying, etc. Undergoing these complicated processes, the ramie yarn will never become messy.

Boiling

The ramie yarn will be mixed up with coal ashes. Then, they are put into water. After stirring well, the yarn will be boiled and cooked for more than three hours. If the ramie is clean, white, and soft, then the process is completed.

Washing

The dirt and mud on the yarn will be washed off. Then, the ramie yarn will be cleaner and whiter.

Soaking

The ball roots of Dioscorea matsudae are dug from the field. Then, they will be smashed and mixed with the ramie yarn. Soaking the ramie yarn in the Dioscorea matsudae juice, the yarn will become red. There are many ways of soaking the ramie yarn. One of them is soaking the ramie yarn in the juice of Lagerstroemia subcostata Koehne. After soaking in the juice for a while, the ramie yarn will become black.

Drying under the Sun

After soaking and washing, the ramie yarn will be put on the bamboo rack and dried under the sun. The yarn will be left there and be exposed to the weather, on both rainy and sunny days. It will be put there for one to two weeks.

Combing

When drying the yarn under the sun, it is necessary to comb the yarn to check if they are disjointed or twisted together. Therefore, the yarning process is essential.

Warping

The yarn will be tied on the warp frame according to the pattern and color desired. The effort put on the warp sorting frame will decide whether the clothes are good or not.

Weaving

The are five kinds of patterns in weaving: plain, twill, rhombus, floral, rice, and float.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure. 1 (Male Clothing)

Figure. 2 (Female Clothing)

Figure. 3 (Small Pillow)

Figure. 4 (Insulating Pad)

Figure. 5 (Backpack)

Figure. 6 (Tissue Box)