Weaving as fibre art- passion rekindled by Dilip Vyas

During my first vacation job in 1969-70 as a clerk in the weaving dept of the textile mill, I came across the world of textile and particularly weaving which happened in a very noisy environment and an environment full of colourful fabrics that came out of the process.  I really felt very intrigued and had a childlike curiosity as to how this happens.  During two stints in the vacation job in a textile mill, I had an opportunity to earn some pocket money and also learn the processes that were happening in various depts. of the textile mill – from ginning, spinning, dyeing, weaving, and finally quality check and folding and dispatch.
 
It has been almost 50 years since then and lots of water has flown below the bridge. I am still engaged in the professional field of chartered accountancy, corporate finance etc.  I was kind of searching where I could whet my appetite in this fantastic art of weaving. I was searching all along on the internet.  I came across some hand weaving using a loom strapped on the back but could not pursue that any further.
 
All of a sudden about three months ago, I came across the website of ‘Shuttles and Needles” and since then I have spent lots of time watching innumerable videos on youtube hosted by weavers from various countries. I first ordered my Rigid Heddle loom and then visited Shuttles and Needles in Aug 2021 for a brief period of 3 days to get hands-on Training on weaving using the Rigid Heddle Loom.

The studio of ‘Shuttles and Needles” is a fantastic place and the environment very friendly and encouraging. 

Weaving is not only about patterns – but more about colors, yarns, the texture of the fabric and the final test is when you see a smile and admiration on the face of the end-user.  Possibilities are endless.  I was told that with 4-8 shaft loom, with different threading and combination of the lifting of shafts one can more than 10000+ patterns.  Besides the pattern, one can create special effects like lace, leno weaving, spot weaves, Krokbragd designs.  One can learn double cloth weaving with two heddles and also various other designs using pickup sticks on a Rigid heddle loom too.
 
This art allows you to employ yourself, makes you very active physically and improves your vision/eyesight, and helps you to maintain lots of patience. Weaving though repetitive but it is meditative in nature and therapeutic to some extent.  This form of art needs full coordination between your limbs and mind and one needs to be active and engaged through and through.
 
At the Studio, I came across someone who made fantastic wall curtain frames and wall hangings which were very unique and were woven on SAORI loom from Japan.  SAORI has again fired up the imagination and having seen a variety of textiles using colourful yarns, floats and using one finger and hands and freestyle works on this simple two shaft loom, I have decided to attend the SAORI workshop at Shuttles & Needles!
 
Everyone at my home is thrilled and wants me to make woven articles for them.  I look forward to getting more and more time to learn more and more about this fabulous art.  My journey has just begun and hopes it will continue in time to come ….