This coil of tied and dyed silk threads was made in preparation for weaving weft ikat or ‘matmi’ cloth in northeast Thailand. This technique entails weaving resist-dyed weft (horizontal) threads over and under the warp (vertical) threads. In Thailand, hemp, silk and cotton were traditionally dyed with natural colours before being used to weave cloth. However, in the recent years, the use of synthetic fibres and artificial dyes has become more common. Most weaving in Thailand is done on a frame loom, usually with the addition of a backstrap to maintain tension in the threads. A variety of weaving techniques is used including ikat, tapestry and supplementary weft weaving.
