Pha Sin Teen Chok in Dok Sak Kor Chao Fa motif is a special workpiece that has taken the Pak Wan pattern from Tai-Yuan Yonok Chiangsan Pha Chok in a combination with floral pattern, into Dok Sak motif- one of the unique Phrae province’s motif. Referring the initiative of the Phrae Provincial Cultural Office that aimed to encourage the weaving groups to create the new provincial motif. And that Teak is considered a valuable wood abundantly found in Phrae province. Therefore, it was unanimously agreed to design the unique Dok Sak motif for Phrae province Chok fabric. Initiated by Pha Chok Mueang Long weaving group, the Pak Wan pattern from the ancient Pha Chok is designed in a combination with floral pattern and Kro Chao Fa motif. The newly created motif has achieved the best prize and Dok Sak motif is popularly used since then. The motif designing process is computerized for friendly-weaving among the weaving groups. The know-how is widely distributed and continuously produces a good income in return to the Northern weaving groups.
Blue and black as the base colors, with alternating yellow, orange and blue are used for Chok weaving Pha Sin Teen Chok in Dok Sak Kor Chao Fa motif. Kru Pranom was honored to participate in a demonstration of Mueang Long Chok weaving to honor Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother. Therefore, cotton yarns are particularly in blue shade. Pha Sin in Dok Sak motif consists of 2 characteristics the ancient Tai-Yuan woven fabric:
Technique : Chok weaving
Making process (in detail) :
Cotton yarn reeling : Reel the dyed warp yarns and supplementary yarns with reeling kit to adjust and smoothen the cotton yarn texture before the yarn-spinning process.
Won Fai or Krue Fai (Warp yarn setting) :
In Thai-northern dialect ‘warp yarns’ are called Krue. It is to set the warp yarns from the reeling kit onto the above rail then onto Pai Kor - a device made of wood). Then calculate how much yarns are needed for the desired width and length of the woven fabric. Next, line the yarns from Pia Kor onto the loom (dialectally called Krue Hook).
Setting warp yarns into the beater
Insert the warp yarns into the reed and set each cotton yarn onto the beater; 40 columns per 1 lob (80 cotton yarns). For Chok weaving, 2 cotton yarns are inserted in each column and 2 pairs of silk yarns (4 silk yarns) for weaving the end of fabric. Then set the yarns from the beater into Sapan or the heald (round-shape stick made of wood or other materials) to form a simple crisscross pattern while framing both sides of woven fabric with Mai Pang.
Weft yarn preparing
Reel the finished dyed cotton yarns into a bobbin (made of bamboo or other materials, with a hole in the middle). Put into order before containing into the shuttle by inserting coconut stalks, or other similar materials with the same length of the shuttle, into the shuttle’s hole. Then put the stalks in the columns inside the shuttle and at the shuttle head to hold the bobbin with the shuttle while weaving.
Weaving
To make a set of Pha Sin, 2 weaving techniques are used: standard weaving and Chok weaving.
Standard weaving – Manage the warp yarns in the heald. The warp yarns are then separated by raising or lowering heald frames to form a clear space where the weft can pass. The weft is propelled across the loom by a shuttle. It is then pushed up against the fell of the cloth by the reed or the beater. Have the weft yarns spout back and forth to be woven in the beater and constantly hit the beater, until the woven dense fabric is perfectly completed. Or have the weft yarns crisscrossed with the yarns in the shuttle and spout back and forth to be woven in the beater and constantly hit the beater twice at minimum, until the woven dense fabric is perfectly completed.
Chok weaving – The patterns on Chok fabric are created by picking up the warp with a porcupine quill, a pointed stick, or fingers, then adding the colorful or special weft to create patterns on the reverse side of the loom. The patterns can only be admired once the reverse side is turned up – called “Kwam Lai Long”. Propel the weft yarns (onto the other static shuttle) once each row of Chok weaving is completed and hit the beater twice at minimum. The knots from Chok weaving must be neatly fixed on the reverse side of fabric. The knot fixing is required when the new pattern weaving begins or when the waft yarns being woven runs out. The smooth patterns on both sides and the dense fabric texture, against manually squeezing trial, are expected on the finished woven fabric.
Assembling Pha Sin (Tube skirt)
Manually sew each part of Pha Sin : Ew Sin (Top part), Tua Sin (Middle part) and Teen Sin (Bottom part), under the traditional way and different sewing techniques.