How Jamdani Sarees are Weaved

Jamdani is a traditional handloom weaving technique used to create fine cotton muslin sarees, which originated in Bengal, India. The process of making a Jamdani saree is a labor-intensive process that involves the following steps:

1. Designing: The first step in making a Jamdani saree is designing the pattern. The weavers use graph papers and pencils to draw the intricate motifs and patterns on the saree.

2. Preparing the warp: The warp is the base of the saree, and it is made of cotton yarn. The cotton yarn is first washed and then wound onto a warping wheel, which is a wooden frame used to hold the yarn in place.

3. Preparing the weft: The weft is the yarn that is woven across the warp to create the design. The weavers use a fine cotton thread called a 'khaddi' to make the weft.

4. Threading the loom: The weavers then thread the warp yarn onto the loom, which is a wooden frame used for weaving the saree. The loom is set up with the warp yarn stretched vertically, and the weft yarn is wound onto bobbins.

5. Weaving the saree: The weaver then begins weaving the saree by interlacing the weft yarn through the warp yarn using a shuttle. The weaver picks up the bobbins of weft yarn and manually inserts them into the warp yarn to create the desired pattern. The process is slow and time-consuming, and it can take several months to complete a single saree.

6. Finishing the saree: Once the weaving is complete, the saree is removed from the loom and washed to remove any sizing or starch that was used during the weaving process. The saree is then dried and ironed before it is ready to be worn.