Myanmar Art and Craft
The Art of Weaving

Lotus Weaving
With a strong tradition of weaving throughout the country, Myanmar has long been producing the best hand-woven silk and the most intricate tribal cottons. But, even these pale in comparison to the exquisite lotus fabric, the only one of its kind in the world. The best fibers come from the dark pink lotus stems, which must be used within three days of being plucked. The lotus grows wild and cannot be cultivated - the first gathering of the lotus is preceded by ritual offerings to the spirits of the lake, with flowers, incense, popped rice and prayers. Since a higher water level means longer stems as well as better filaments, collection takes place throughout the monsoon. During the dry months, the stems are shorter and the fibres less abundant. The long stems have a thorny surface, which must be scraped smooth with coconut husks. Then about five stems are held together in one hand while a small blade is used to circle around the whole fistful about four inches from the end. After gently laying the filaments on a wet table, they are Then given a quick turn of the wrist, before being rolled into a thicker thread. The next batch is twisted onto the end of the previous strand so that bit by bit, the thread grows. It is inconceivable the mouth of work that goes into making enough of this fine cord. Even Then , the hard work is not over: the skeins are washed, starched and spun on manual machines unlike any seen at a traditional weaver’s workshop - the original ladies themselves designed and built them. The strange contraptions still in use today look like originals. They are made of wood and bamboo (with some parts lacquered to last longer) and are smooth and shiny with age. Finally, the fabric is woven on a handloom before being sent to be dyed the traditional deep orange of a Buddhist monk’s robes. The clothing is formed from large rectangular pieces of material that must be cut and sewn again according to a set pattern.

Silk-Weaving
Silk-weaving in Myanmar is still done on handlooms. The most prevalent silk design is based on zigzagged patterns called acheik. The best silk-weavers are from Mandalay and Amarapura. The techniques for weaving silk are based on techniques used for tapestry weaving. Weaving with one hundred shuttles is a slow, painstaking process. Workshops are usually managed by women and hold up to sixty or seventy looms. Three women sit at each loom, and take at least six weeks to produce two yards of silk enough to make a single longyi. The warp of about 1500 threads is one solid colour, and the weft is picked out with at least a hundred shuttles of different colour silks. The shuttles go in, out and around the warp to form patterns of flowers, zigzags and loops. The women work with the wrong side up and check their progress with small mirrors held under the woven cloth. The shuttles are whittled out of tamarind wood, and with time turn smooth and dark with a deep luster. The work in progress is always covered with a white cotton cloth to protect it from dust and the prying eyes of competitors out to steal the latest patterns. When there are state occasions approaching and yards of luntaya material commissioned, strangers are not even allowed into the workshops. The designs are mostly flowers in stylized patterns. Roses, orchids and jasmine, entwined with vines, are enduring favourites.

Please check here our classical arts and other skilful hand working

• Ten Flowers
• The Art of Weaving
• The Art of Making Pottery