100 Shuttle Traditional Weaving Industries

Weaving of Lun Yar Kyaw, which is one of the Myanmar Traditional Fabrics. First of all, the white silk is dyed according to design and one's favourite colour. The dyed silk is made into yarn by using a small spindle and put into the wooden reel. These are used as a warp threads when weaving. Simultaneously, yarn of various colours is mixed and made in accord with design and the number of yarn one desires. These mixed yarn are also wound onto the small bamboo bobbin of the wooden shuttle casing for the desired amount. These are to use threads of the weft in weaving.

Dividing upper and lower yarn of warps from hitching-frame is made by hand using big spindle. After that, yarns from the big spindle are put into wooden spool. These yarns are put into the frame of the reed in a loom. If you finish carrying out these tasks, it is ready for weaving.

When you have chosen the design, weaving can take place. It is very difficult to weave the 100-shuttle fabric. Much waft and weave to create the wavy design. It takes about three years to learn the art. Depending on the design, 100 or more looms are used. Therefore, it is called Lun Yar Kyaw, which means fabric specially woven with a hundred or two hundred shuttles of multi-coloured silk thread.

Myanmar silk fabrics with intricate wavy design or pattern need 2 or 3 girls in a loom. To finish a fabric for one person, it take at least one month. Mirror is used to check designs, because woven up-side down. Right leg presses first and shuttle is put when upper yarn and lower yarn are kept open. When all shuttle are woven for entire line and only a frame of the reed in a loom is used once.

When the weaving is done, the fabric's edge are cut with a pair of scissors and a systematic Lun Yar Kyaw fabric is obtained. There are altogether (50) to (70) patterns of Lun Yar Kyaw fabric. It varies from pattern of the Royal Era to present days like Sabei kon, Pan Bayin, Thonn Yaung Che and Da wei sin. In this way, beautiful Lun Yar Kyaw fabrics are being woven all the year round for Myanmar women.