Shuri Fabrics Shuri fabrics is a generic name for a whole variety of different textiles mainly woven in silk, although cotton and ramie are also used. Following are the main stages in the production of an ikat or kasuri cloth. The hand-binding of the kasuri threads is peculiar to this cloth and is said to represent the kasuri technique in its original form. This page uses QuickTime. To download click on the icon. Stage One Design Drawing: A design is done with the help of an old 'manual' of design handed down for generations. The basic patterns used in Shuri kasuri are said to represent the roots of kasuri in Japan. There are more than 500 basic design motifs including a flowing river, clouds, animals and the paraphernalia of everyday life. Designs are produced by making original combinations of these motifs. Stage Two Winding: Having cleaned and refined the thread, it is then starched and wound. Stage Three Measuring: Enough thread for one bolt of fabric is then measured on a warp mill. Stage Four Binding: The warp threads are stretched out, marked according to the drawing and bound by hand. If the design is very detailed and cannot easily be bound by hand, a special binding machine is used. The required length and number of weft kasuri threads is worked out from the design and, allowing a little extra than the width of the cloth, these threads are then tied in skeins. These skeins are then marked up following a design guide and hand bound. Stage Five Dyeing: Using such things as Ryukyu indigo, Raphiolepis, and Garcinia subelliptica, dyes are produced from plants growing in Okinawa. In summer a fermentation vat for indigo takes a week to mature but takes two weeks in the winter. When the 'flower' on the vat of dye takes on a reddish tint and the liquid below is blue, the yarn is dyed. The yarn is immersed in the dye and lightly rubbed to make sure the dye reaches all the yarn. The yarn is lifted and tightly rung out, where upon the dye oxidizes. The yarn is then dried in the sun. A golden yellow is produced by dyeing with a dye made by boiling the bark of Garcinia subelliptica. Dyeing requires much patience as the process must be repeated a number of times. Stage Six Click on the picture for QuickTime Movie Setting Up: Having untied the bindings, the threads are stretched out in order following the design. They are divided into kasuri threads, striped threads and background threads. They are then passed through a temporary reed and tied onto the loom beam, after which they are passed through the heddle and reed. When the kasuri weft threads have been separated they are put on bobbins and placed in a shuttle. Stage Seven Click on the picture for QuickTime Movie Weaving: Adjustments to the position of the weft thread are made as weaving proceeds and when this is complete, the cloth is steamed and stretched.