Diversified plain weave and diverse experiences- by Yashil Nagda

After graduating from college, I had a strong urge to weave on a shaft loom. That led me on a searching spree for weaving studios, and on stumbling upon the Shuttles and Needles website, I couldn't wait to reach out and express my excitement to work with them… 
 
Soon, I saw myself packing for a month-long stay in Chennai! 
 
The initial days were about experiencing the space, interacting with the people and the kind of work that happened. I was warmly welcomed and it all felt very homely… the studio, the freedom to explore, and the enthusiastic community feeling. I feel extremely grateful for the insights and encouragement I received from the team. After just my first discussion with them, I had sparkles in my eyes wondering about how much I could grasp in the coming weeks.

Adventures with Diversified plain weave (DPW):
 
My first warp was an explorative one -  where I tried to understand the nitty-gritty of the weave structure and get a taste of what all possibilities and patterning could happen. The various kinds and colours of yarns available at the studio felt like a luxury and spoilt me for choice! The plush hand feel and thick weight of Cotton DK weight knitting yarn was a thrill and not something I had worked with before.
 
Let alone the WeavePoint software, until now I had not worked with a computer-controlled loom, and when I got a hold of it - the possibilities felt endless. What enticed me the most about DPW was its structural strength, versatility and reversible nature. 

To explore DPW further, for the second half of the internship, I set out to weave a fabric to be used for a jacket. The sheer scale of a 37-inch wide fabric was something I had not encountered yet, and while it seemed an enormous task to dress a Jack loom for such a wide fabric, the satisfaction of seeing the final fabric that came off the loom was unparalleled.

Just like the diversified plain weave I was exploring, my internship experience was very diverse - a new city with new cultures, new people and newer found knowledge. I looked for a chance to re-live the meditative aspect of weaving and the euphoria of seeing textiles tangiblize -  and that’s what Shuttles and Needles gave me!

Yashil's impression of his diverse experience at Shuttles & Needles and Chennai

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Yashil Nagda is a textile design graduate from NID, who enjoys the act of making, sharing and discussing