PROCESS

Cotton and silk threads both require dyeing before they can be used on a loom.This process starts with dipping them in the solution ofTurkish oil and bleaching powder.The threads are then dipped in a solution of the dye and warm water a number of times until the desired color is achieved. Finally the threads are washed and hung to dry After dyeing the yarn is normally received by the weaver in the form of bundles, the threads then need to be detangled and stretched in order to make them tighter and suitable for the warp and the weft.Acharkha is used to convert the bundles into small rolls called bobbins.As the silk used is very delicate a warp machine is used for warping or preparing the tana.The warp roll is then placed at the screen end of the loom and the weaving begins. Here the weaver engages an three different actions simultaneously, the right hand operates the string that provides motion to the shuttle carrying the bobbin weft across the threads of the warp, the left hand provides an up and down motion to the wooden frame of the loom that falls on the threads of the warp and the weft to guide them to their respective places in the cloth both legs move in rhythmic movement providing the motion to the roach which helps the threads of the warp and the weft to interlock.The motion of the loom provides movement to the overhead punch guard mechanism called Dobby, which helps in weaving the border of the Sari.There are up to four-thousand strings in a single warp which makes the process of weaving time consuming and complex. Maheshwari has always excited textile lovers and held a special place in the hearts of the costumers. However the decades of the 50s and the 60s saw sharp decline in the demand for the fabric.