The textiles and embroidery of Kutch, Gujarat are diverse and unique as you have seen through my travels. One particular art that stood out was that of hand woven wool. I had the opportunity to visit Devji Vankar, an award winning weaver whose woolen fabrics stand out for their texture and quality. He usually uses Merino wool yarn imported from Australia since the local wool is too coarse for clothing. The wool yarn is seperated using a large wodden apparatus as shown in video and dyed after for color. The last step of weaving is usually the most artistic and time consuming. Lead time for creating 5 yards can start from 7 days to 2 months depending on the intricacy of the work required. Kutch weave is very different from Banaras weave,it has a simpler look and thicker texture. The use of mirror work is also more common and is usually done by the women of the household. I can think about using these fabrics for Fall clothing such as light jackets and wrap dresses.
To give you an idea of the warmth and hospitality of Indian people, specifically in Gujarat, the artisan insisted on me having lunch with his family. It was a fun experience where I sat on the floor with the full family and enjoyed all the delicacies that were created. Even if the food is cooked for a specific number of people, the people of Gujarat will always give their guests the highest priority. It was an enjoyable and eye opening experience.
Attached is a video of his hand weaving unit and some pictures of the fabrics.
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