Types of Thai silk and their weaving
According to many sources Thai silk has been around since over 3000 years. During this time, the different regions of Thailand developed different and unique types of silk.
Plain weave silk is the simplest method of weaving; the weft thread passes over and under each ward thread, then under and over on the following line. Although the method is simple there are many variations that enable the weaver to create amazing textures and light variations. The warp may be a thicker ply then the weft, or the weft thicker than the warp, or the two may be the same ply, described as a balance weave. Plain weave can produce monochrome silk fabric, the warp one color and the weft another color. This creates tonal variations across the surface of the silk fabric that change according to the direction of light. Tonal quality can be enhanced by plying (twisting) two yarns of different colors or tones together, either in the warp or in the weft, or in both warp and weft.
The key to the rough texture Thai silk fabric is the use of a coarse, irregular silk yarn. Even if such silk cloth has uneven and slightly knotty texture, it is still soft. Smooth texture Thai silk is usually 1-, 2- or 3-ply. Ply simply means the number of threads used for the weft when weaving silk fabric. More ply means more thickness and less smoothness.
“Mud-mee” silk is one of the best kept secrets outside of Thailand. The distinct “mud-mee”, literally tie-dye, silk fabric originates from northeastern part of Thailand, the Isaan region. The fabric is woven using the tying and dyeing technique to create designs. The patterns, colors and styles recall the cultural heritage which has been handed down from the past to the present.
There are three methods to “Mud-mee“ weaving; the first is to tie-dye the warps; the second is to tie-dye the wefts and the third is to tie-dye both the warps and the wefts. Any of these methods must be done before the actual weaving begins. Where to tie-dye is up to the weaver.
Khit is another traditional style of Thai silk weaving from the north-eastern region of Thailand. Khit or continuous supplementary weft is the process of placing a supplementary yarn into the web of tabby weave, passing from selvage to selvage thus enabling the use of a shuttle for the supplementary yarns. The result is a pattern in one color that floats on the surface of the weave. The supplementary yarns are placed into the weave by the assistance of special shafts that raise the warp to a certain pattern allowing the supplementary yarns to be placed alternately with the tabby weave yarns. Prior to the invention of the special shafts, shed sticks were placed in the warp to indicate the pattern for the supplementary yarns, thus restricting the repeat of the design to one repeat of the exact same pattern. The use of the shafts allowed for endless repeats of the exact same pattern.
Well known designs include sandal-wood flowers, jasmine flowers, elephants, horses and monuments. Khit silk fabrics can be distinguished by the fact that the extra weft yarns result in ridges of the same color extending across the piece and the the design is repeated. It may or may not extend the length of the piece, but it has definite staring and ending points.
Due to the handmade nature of these silk shawls, the colors, sizes and the patterns will contain variations that is a feature of genuine Thai handmade silk products and which help distinguish handcrafted Thai silk products from imitations.
Brocade silk is a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven silk, with or without gold and silver threads and it is yet another type of silk handcraft produced in Thailand. Even though brocade silk was not originated in Thailand, local villages in the north have been able to acquire the technique and enrich it by adding it's own traditions and culture.
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