Bengal Kantha

In the sphere of folk textiles the needlework quilts of Bengal and Bihar form a group of some of the most interesting cloths of the subcontinent. They are known as Kanthas in Bengal and Sujanis in Bihar. In the past they were made for family use or as gifts, out of cast-off saris or dhotis.

Saris and Dhotis in Bihar and Bengal are predominantly white, sometimes with a border in black or red, or blue and red, sometimes with the addition of yellow or green. Three or four sections of Saris or Dhotis are laid on top of each other and then quilted. The simple running stitch used in quilting produces an embroidery-like design whose details are filled with satin and stem stitch. Threads are taken from the colored borders of the saris for thies purpose.

http://handloomsofindia.com/blue-maroon-kantha-embroidered-tussar-silk-saree.html

The conventional pattern of Bengal Kanthas has a lotus medallion in the centre ( symbolising the universe) and four "buttis", or trees, at the corners. The rest of the field is then embroidered wih all manner of motifs: birds, fish, animals and people, with domestic scenes mixed with religious and allegorical figures.

Inspiration for these motifs lies in the 'Alpana' designs which are drawn out on the floor and doorstep in Bengal at festival times.

Kanthas were used eariler as winter quilts covers and wraps for books and valuables, as mats for ceremonial purposes. Kantha making for home consumption in Bengal died out for about the end of the first quarter of the twentieth century due to the usual pressures of industrialisation. The main centres for Kantha amking were in East Bengal, now Bangladesh, where it has now been revived. Here embroidered quilted hangings are made with new cloth to some of the old designs,bestof them expressing some of the lively views of nature of old classics. These new Kanthas are aimed at export and tourist markets.
 

Tie and Dye Ikat textiles

It is a derivation of the Malay word "Mengikat" means 'to tie' or 'to bind'. This technique entails tying and dyeing the warp and weft before weaving. Bundles of threads are meticulously arranged to a prepared design and bound with impermeable yarn or rubber band so that as the yarn is dyed with a range of color, the areas protected from each dye are resisted. Within the subcontinent the clothes produced by this yarn resist work are called tie-and-dye, bandha, patola, chitka and telia rumal.

Fibres Used: Cotton and Silk

Motifs used: The motif used in any traditional Ikat designs may include lotus flowers, creeping vine (lata, geese, deer, elephant), conch shell or fish. In traditional Orissan style, the end piece may contain, in dozens of Ikat patterned bands of different sizes with various levels of patterning complexities ranging from elephants and lions standing by trees to simple triables and dashes. Motifs of Andhrapradesh Ikat sarees are modern, abstrat, modernist and geometric.

Technique: IN orissa very thin yarn is used, which helps in achieveing fine, detailed and curvilinear patterns. Orissan Ikats are woven on counterbalance flyshuttles treadle looms, the structure resting on the ground over the edge of the weavers' pit. The shedding mechanism hangs from the ceiling and the warps to be wound on to a cloth beam or run over a beam and tied in the roof space out of the way. In AP the warps are tied ready, for dyeing at their full length whereas the weft are tied in groups on a frame fanning out to from the segment of a circle from a central peg. Only  two or three threads are used from a cluster on a rectangle.

Places: Orissa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh.

Compact Yarn

Compact Yarn in a compacted ring yarn with low hairiness. In this a perforated drum is fitted at the delivery end of the ring spinning machine, which in combination with partial vacuum, bundle or compact the fibres after drafting.









This will lead to :

- Reduced hairiness
- Increase in yarn strength upto 20%
- Higher spin-out limits
- Reduced Sizing ( about 30%)
- Great running on loom ( efficiency increase by over 10%)
- Glossier appearance of yarn
- Homogenous Dyeing

The gains are greater from yarn counts of 30s or more.

( For more information please refer to this newsletter for compact yarn)

FAQ in Spinning-1

Q. Why cotton is convoluted in crosssection when seen through microscope

Cotton fibres grow on hairs on the seed of the plant. While growing the fiber is cylinderical in form, but as it dries it twists, and, when fully ripe, resembles a narrow twisted ribbon.

Q. What is the best variety of cotton in the world

The best variety in the world is sea Island cotton which is fine, long and silky and is suitable
for the finest of counts namely 120s and beyond.

Q. What is a bale

For transporting the ginned cotton in a suitable economic and compact package form we need a
package known as a bale.

Q. Why baling is called a necessary evil.

Because processing of baled cotton requires the use of greater number of blowroom machines than are required when directly ginned cotton is used.

Q. What will happen if the cotton in bale form is stored for longer periods.

Cotton stored for longer periods, from 6 months to one year have been found to give more waste
losses ranging from 2-3% due to weather effects and compressional strains.

Q. Chemically, what is cotton fibre made of

Chemically, a cotton fiber consists of about 92% cellulose, 7% water, 0.6% nitrogen and remaining in wax, ash and fat.

Q. What is the importance of convolutions.

Convolutions help to increase the inter-fiber cohesion. Loss in convolutions have to be
compensated by slightly more twist during spinning for a desired yarn strength.

Q. What is the importance of natural wax present on cotton as regards to spinning.

It lubricates the fibers and helps in the spinning process.

Q. Why moisture is important for cotton.
Bone dry cotton is harsh and brittle with a low tensile strength. Cotton is a poor conductor of
electricity and hence it is difficult to spin very dry cotton as it develops static electricity.

Q. How fiber fineness is important for cotton spinning.

Fibres that are longer and finer are best suited for producing fine counts.

Q. What is length to diameter relationship in case of cotton.

The ratio of length to diameter for cotton varies from 500:1