Design to Loom
How the Loom Weaves a Story
Every piece begins as an idea on the drawing table. Completely hand done, the seed of the idea is allowed to grow with artistic abandon, explored in several colours, patterns and combinations. It is then graphed out as a design for the weavers to weave in Jamdani.
Jamdani as a technique requires skilled weavers. It involves a community of artisans, often a family of weavers, dyers and spinners coordinating with each other. Jamdani weaving is work intensive, especially at Karomi, where we primarily practice the authentic technique of hand-picked warp for Jamdani that requires both precision and attention to detail.
KAROMI JAMDANI
Karomi Jamdanis bring a modern twist to the craft. Each piece is an artistically designed, randomized interplay of motifs arranged in unconventional layouts. Through our conscious effort to break the mould of repetitive patterns, our designs are rendered one of a kind, ensuring our customers an authentic Jamdani that cannot be replicated on mechanised jacquard looms.
The Jamdani Process
All our processes, from dyeing to reeling, warping and weaving, are hand-done. Depending on the intricacy of the design, each piece from dyeing to finishing can take anywhere between 30 to 90 days.
Dyeing
Hanks of yarns are hand dyed, often with natural dyes, in the shades specified by the design. Finer the yarn, the more difficult its dyeing – and at Karomi, we work with extremely fine yarns to give our finished fabrics asumptiously soft feel.
Sizing and Reeling
The dyed thread is strengthened and softened by soaking overnight in a solution of rice water starch, allowing it to be wound more easily onto bobbins. It is tedious work done usually between 4am and 9am, to prevent increasing heat drying the thread. Reeling into spools is done by hand on the ambhar charkhas.
Warping / Drumming
The wound bobbins are sent to another artisan who prepares the warp on a beam. As per the specified warping pattern, warp yarns are laid out on a large wheel-like structure called a drum or beam. Depending on the complexity of the pattern, a single warp can take anywhere between 2 - 7 days to drum.
Healding
After drumming, yarns are threaded through needle-like healds, a process that requires extreme hand and eye coordination. Then they are passed through the reed - a comb like structure used to control the weft during weaving. Requiring bright light, healding is done early in the morning.
Weaving
Fabric is woven using the fly shuttle in traditional pit looms. Weaving Jamdani is a matter of skill and patience. Weaving Karomi jamdani, in fact, requires our weavers to be resolute too - our designs are random and complex, and use highly delicate, fine yarns in a variety of colours, making the process even more involved.
Finishing
After weaving, the ends in each piece are knotted and the fringe is finished. Then the piece is washed to remove all traces of gum or starch and finally ironed.
ADditional crafts
KANTHA EMBROIDERY | HAND BLOCK PRINTING | STITCHING
Karomi Kantha
Performed predominantly by women, Kantha is an embroidery craft, native to Bengal, where the simple ‘run’ stitch is traditionally used to paint stories on cloth. A Karomi Kantha is contemporary as it celebrates pointillism wherein every run stitch can be seen as a speck of colour lending itself to a larger form. Embroidered on a block printed base, the resultant Kantha creates an interesting illusion of intermingling shapes and colourful textures.
Karomi Chhaapa
Carved in wood, dipped in colour, and imprinted on cloth – at Karomi, the traditional craft of hand block printing is reinvented with artistic designs for the modern woman. The ‘print over print’ layering technique creates a fascinating impression of depth on the light and delicate fabric. A wide array of colours and surface textures make the prints strikingly beautiful.
Karomi Taanka
Chic, timeless silhouettes are tailored to perfection with great attention to detail at Karomi. Custom designs in soft, breathable fabrics are handwoven for every garment, curated and handmade for the woman of today.
Free Delivery
Free shipping on orders within India
100% Authentic
No greenwashing. No false claims. Authentically handwoven.
Meticulous Quality Checking
6 levels of quality checks on every piece
Handmade in India
Handcrafted by artisans in the rural heart of India