The weaving process begins by passing the shuttle with the weft through the warp opening. With successive shuttles a plain weave is produced.
When the fabric is passed over and under warp alternately on each row, creating the same effect on both sides of the fabric, a plain weave is created.
When the weft passes at least two warp threads at a time and in the next row of weaving the pattern is shifted by one warp thread to the right a diagonal weave is created.Shapes and colours are imprinted on the milimetric paper and followed closely to produce the final design.
The embroideries on the loom are artistic creations that combine tradition and technique, with original designs. The traditional designs and colours are chosen from existing traditional designs or are a figment of the weaver's imagination or a combination of colours and designs from different places. As regards the patterns, influences from the East can also be detected, with the most characteristic being the carnation, the rose, the tulip and the hyacinth. The basic colours used in Epirotic weaving are blue, green, yellow, red and ecai.
In order to start decorating, the designs and embellishments should alternate different coloured fabrics. This is also where the measuring from the milimetric paper begins, to imprint the chosen design on the woven fabric.
When the weaver has passed one row of the weft, she strikes it with a wooden stick. Then she steps on the footstools, the mitres go up and down and the same work continues. The piece of woven fabric created remains stretched. Each design box on the milimeter paper corresponds to the passage of the corresponding coloured thread through two threads of the warp.
Weaving requires great concentration and coordination, harmony and speed in the movements of the hands and feet, while taking care to execute each pattern with mathematical precision.The designs can be symbolic, geometric or even designs inspired by nature.
Just follow the steps:
- Step on the footstool to spread the warps
- Throw the shuttle with one hand with force, so that it reaches the other end (the shuttle is always thrown from the right side)
- Grab it immediately with the other hand
- As soon as the shuttle leaves, with the freed hand, grab the shuttle by the top and decisively strike the thread (weft) left, passing the shuttle, so that it joins the existing fabric.
- The moment the other hand grasps the shuttle, with the other foot, press the other footrest and open the warps in reverse, to repeat the process as many times as necessary until the weaving is complete.
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