Chick Making
‘Chick Making’ refers to making bamboo chicks (bamboo mats). It is a craft practised all over India. These bamboo surfaces have been used traditionally for blinds and screens, but have evolved into table runners and placemats in recent times
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Bamboo weaving is a widely seen technique passed down multiple generations in Andhra Pradesh’s bamboo blind weaving. This technique combines bamboo strips as weft and spaced cotton yarn as warp on a simple yet effective loom. Despite its simplicity, the technique yields stunning results, showcasing the weavers’ expertise.
Process
The process begins by deftly splitting bamboo.
Then the weaver starts tying the cotton cord to the bamboo pole.
The weaving is done by throwing the weights back and forth creating a loop to hold in the weft.
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Alternatively, the warp ends are moved back and forth to create the surface.
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The weights are of prime importance to maintain the tension of the warp as well as facilitate a hassle-free movement of the warp ends.
Trying to replicate this with objects lying around me.
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A thrown away pvc pipe as my structure
Leftover cotton twine for the warp
Dried poster paint bottles for weights
Coconut stick broom deconstructed for weft
End result, a cute mat for my desk
Adding more katran (Fabric Waste) as a supplementary weft to add some cushioning
