Lampas weave: EP 3: Inside Lampas

In the previous article we followed the journey of lampas across different weaving cultures. This time, let's look at the cloth itself.

One of the interesting things about lampas is that it rarely reveals its complexity at first glance. A patterned surface appears to sit on top of a stable cloth. It is only when you begin looking more closely that another layer starts to appear.

It reminded us a little of baklava. Or, if you've eaten pootharekulu, perhaps that :-)  From the outside it looks like a single thing, but once you start pulling it apart you realise it is made up of carefully arranged layers, each contributing something different.

Lampas works in a somewhat similar way. One set of warp and weft threads forms the ground fabric. Another creates the pattern. It is the relationship between these systems that gives the cloth its distinctive character.

And it doesn't stop there.

The ratio between the warp systems can be changed. The layers can be tied together or allowed to remain separate in certain areas. Small changes in planning the warp and weft can make the fabric behave quite differently.

These were some of the things we needed to understand before attempting lampas on an eight-shaft loom.

In the next article we'll look at how we adapted this structure to an eight-shaft loom.

This article is part of a series based on the publication Notes from the Loom: Lampas on an Eight-Shaft Loom, available through the Shuttles & Needles studio.