Assam is one of the seven (or arguably eight) states in North East India, set in the Brahmaputra basin, tucked away just south of the Himalayas, attached to mainland India only by a thin strip of land. Textiles here hold more similarities with neighbouring North Eastern states and with other countries further east and in South East Asia, which they are geographically and culturally close to, than woven textiles in mainland India which have distinctly different traditions and cultural approaches. The tribal textiles of Assam are woven predominantly by women for whom learning to weave and becoming a proficient weaver is a rite of passage and a required attribute to be…
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A few of the many complex weaving techniques
Last week, I joined a group of woven textiles enthusiasts at textiles dealer and Textiles Society events organiser, Meg Andrew’s house to learn weaving techniques from master weaver Sue Kerry. Sue has had an extensive and diverse career. She learned all the techniques of weaving in industry and at Birmingham College of Art. After college she worked as a weaver’s apprentice in Suffolk, and also in Perugia, handloom weaving luxurious cloths. Since then she has documented textiles in the Warner archive for 12 years, consulted for other businesses on their archives and worked on restoration projects. Sue talked the group through a collection of samples she had acquired over many…
