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About TRUKU Weaving
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3. TRUKU Weaving Tools

[longitude arrangement frame][Weaving box][Fixing rod][Opening rod]
[
heddle rod][float weaving rod][latitude arrangement rod][shuttle][cloth axis][waist belt]

 
(1) Longitude arrangement frame (2) Weaving box

(3)  Fixing rod

Consist of base and backbone two parts, all made of wood. The base is a quadrate plank with 6 or 7 small holes in it, the function of which refers to installing backbone (classified into single or double poles that could decide the length of cloth). Longitude arrangement frame is a tool to adjust thread parallel with longitude, as well as the last process before the thread woven in machine.

Previously, people caverned fine and firm trunk to form a jointless box that is composed by thick board now. The caverned (opening) area can be placed with components related to weaving, and the box should be placed in the inner side of one end of the longitude thread that is repeatedly winded to form a ring, pulling the thread straight by cooperating with cloth clamp near the body.

Every thread parallel with longitude should be winded around the longitude rod to fix the order and density (comparative position) of longitude thread.

 

(4) Opening rod (5)  Heddle rod

(6)  float weaving rod

Strip-like wood hollow stick enables longitude to be put into separating rod through the interspace of one end, therefore which can separate longitude to two groups, one though interspace in the middle and the other located out of the separating rod but attached to heddle rod one by one via long threads. Separation of thread purposes to produce road for shuttle. Separating rod plays important role in the form of shuttle road, so that it is called “shuttle road rod”.

The rod is often composed by two thin and long bamboo (arrow bamboo), paralleling two bamboo poles and fixing them with elastic. Some heddle rods are made of tree branch with fork, structuring similar to separating rod but former is thinner. Utilization approach of heddle rod refers to pick up some longitude one by one via a long thread (called heddle), tying them between two bamboo poles. Then longitude arrangement step is completed.

Made of thin and long bamboo piece with one end straight but the other sharping gradually. The float weaving rod will only be used in weaving complex figure.

(7)  Latitude arrangement rod

(8)  Shuttle

(9)  Cloth axis

As the crescent flat board, latitude arrangement rod will be placed horizontally to clarify shuttle roads and maintain the situation, when separating rod and heddle rod produce shuttle roads through interaction. Pull the shuttle through, place the latitude winded around shuttle in shuttle roads, and firm the inside area with straight part of the rod to closely link latitude and keep them horizontal.

The only strip-like bamboo piece with two ends be tusk-like fang (tip points to interior). The function of shuttle purposes to winding latitude, which moves through the changeable shuttle roads while weaving and gradually release latitude thread to form cloth via intersection of longitude and latitude.

Axis is composed of two wood sticks, one having strip-like flute and the other with strip-like push bump, two of which match with each other and clamp the cloth firmly in the middle to hold one end of repeatedly winded longitude as round.

 

(10)  Waist belt

The belt is made of durable material like ramie or vine to tie two ends of cloth clamp near the body, and is linked with weaver’s waist as a fixed pivot of weaving machine in operation.

Data source:  http://www.shanli.org.tw/saw.htm (Making Rainbow with Ramie - Shanli Tribe)
Image source: 
http://www.shanli.org.tw/saw.htm (Making Rainbow with Ramie - Shanli Tribe)