FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates, in general, to the field of weaving. Further, this invention relates to a process / method of weaving a saree and in particular, a Kanchipuram Saree which is made of silk and has certain specific and unique characteristics. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of weaving Kanchipuram Saree also termed as the "KV Technique".
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART AND LIMITATIONS THEREIN
A typical Kanchipuram silk saree is known for its distinguished characteristics of heavy weight coupled with classic colours and rich zari border and pallu. Kanchipuram Silk Saree is well known for it's inter woven lace work and its lusture, which is the dexterity of the dyer and weaver in bringing the lusture and design respectively.
This uniqueness of the Kanchipuram silk saree is the Korvai and Petni effect. Without this the traditional Kanchipuram saree does not have its traditional fulfillment. This invention is basically the new weaving technique which gives the traditional Korvai and Petni effect.
Saree is a traditional dress on India worn by women. Kanchipuram silk saree is saree weaved in silk. A typical Kanchipuram silk saree is known for its distinguished characteristics of heavy weight coupled with classic colours and rich zari border and pallu.
The specialty of Kanchipuram saree in not with the method of weaving but also the other processes involved such as
1. Winding, Doubling and Twisting:
2. Degumming & Dyeing
3. Dressing & Sizing

4. Piecing
5. Drawing & Denting (Aluppiduthal)
6. Joining of Lace
7. Preparation of Adai
The weaving process consists of three basic operations which form a continuous cycle in the simple handloom either pit loom or frame loom. These primary motions can be described as follows:
a) Shedding - It is the separation of the warp threads into upper and lower
layers forming a SHED through which the weft is passed. Healds with tappet or Dobby and Harness with Jacquard used as single and in combination to form the shed.
b) Picking - It is the insertion of weft yam through the shed. Fly shuttle or
throw shuttle is used for insertion of pick by the weaver manually or mechanized way.
c) Beat-up - It is carrying forward of the last inserted pick of weft yarn to
the cloth already woven. Metal reed or Bamboo / Cholam Stalks reed is used for beating up the weft yarn.
The silk saree is distinguished by its:
1) Body portion, which is either plain weave with motif & butta or rich brocade
2) Border portion, which is either single or double sided with motifs /medium design and
3) Pallu / Mundi portion, which is generally of rich designs.

The Kanchipuram silk saree is unique in many ways. The main features among them are Korvai and Petni.
Korvai is the technique of joining the border to body of the saree either Single or double sided border.
This technique requires additional manpower. Korvai technique cannot be weaved by a single weaver. Few ends of body portion of the warp on both sides are interlaced with the border ends resulting as thick diligent stitch, which run parallel to the selvedge [Jamudu] up to the pallu portion. In order achieve this effect, three shuttles are used, two are handled by the weaver concerned and the third one is handled by the additional labour. Since this process requires an additional labourer (weaver), who has to synchronize his activity of weft insertion with the experienced weaver, it results in enormous delay. Also for this additional manpower and generally child labour is involved.
Plain weave is achieved by operating the healds, depending upon the need, by operating the treadle attached to it. Motifs in the border and rich designs in the Pallu / Mundi are generated by pulling the lever connected to the Jacquard boxes of different hook capacity. Thus, while weaving the body and border portion, treadle is operated along with or without jacquard lever with great care and dexterity. Weft insertion is always with hands by throwing a medium size shuttle from one end and beating the weft to the fell of the cloth. Small pirns of silk or Zari are used as shuttle for the weft insertion in the case of small butta, motifs in the body, Pallu and border. Thus, for the preparation of double side contrast border silk saree, three shuttles are used, which requires an extra manpower that is generally achieved by employing child as laborer.
RAW MATERIAL: Pure indigenous raw silk is used for the production of Kanchipuram silk saree. Cross breed silk (Bivolltine X multivoltine) variety is used in silk saree production. The Filature/ Multi end fine quality raw silk of 16/18 denier is used in warp preparation and Filature/ Charka coarse quality silk of 22/24

denier is used in weft preparation. The raw silk is twisted as organzine or tram yarn for the preparation of warp and weft respectively. Both warp and weft are dyed at Yarn stage using either acid or metal complex dyes. Thus, the silk saree produced is a loom finished fabric.
Zari thread is also extensively used as raw material for the production of silk saree. It is also used as extra warp and or weft in order to produce intricate designs on silk sarees. The main component of zari, which is predominant, is given below.

CURRENTLY EMPLOYED PROCESS
1. Winding, Doubling and Twisting:
In the case of warp preparation, the raw silk is first wound on a suitable small bobbin, which is taken for primary twisting (18-20 TPI) in S direction, then doubled and finally twisted for secondary twisting (18-20) in Z direction. For weft preparation, the raw silk is first doubled and twisted (8-10 TPI) in S direction using up twister.
2. Degumming & Dyeing
Warp length is generally of three saree length and the weft is of small hanks. Both warp and weft are first degummed using soap and soda solution at alkaline pH at near boil for definite time and dyed using acid / metal complex dyes at acidic pH medium using Glabour salt as exhausting/ leveling agent. Warp yarn is dyed using tie & dye method in order to have different body and pallu colours in a single warp.

3. Dressing & Sizing:
The warp is given a dressing by stretching it out in the open by using stout bamboo rods. Dust and dirt is removed and the warp is looped. The looped warp is immersed in rice kanji (Diluted rice Gruel) and this process is called sizing. After sizing, the warp is stretched once again for dressing and dried by exposure.
4. Piecing
The newly prepared warp is attached to the corresponding thread of the previous saree, threads of the saree already woven on the loom remains behind after the saree has been cut out. This process is called Piecing. This is a delicate and slow process and requires dexterity and patience.
5. Drawing & Denting (Aluppiduthal)
The new warp which has been joined to the old warp by piecing is again stretched in order to remove entanglement. The newly pieced warp is drawn forward through the healds and reed. The above process is called Aluppiduthal in local parlance. The yarn is divided on the loom into segments. One end is fixed to the cloth beam [PADAMARAM] and the other end to warp beam [OODU KATTAI]. The distance between cloth and warp beam is 12 feet and this length ensures the required tension for weaving.
6. Joining of Lace
Saree border designs are first prepared on graph sheets and then transferred to the harness known as Adai. These Adais are given necessary cord connection, while the gold threads on either side of the warp are drawn through the eyes of the design healds (Pettuvizhudu). At first, some old silk threads are passed through the glass beads of in the design healds. Then, lace is connected to these old silk threads in order to avoid contacts of fingers with the lace. The lace is stretched on the outer side of the warp to the same length and is fixed to one end of both sides of the warp beam depending upon whether the saree has a one side or double side border. After drawing the lace threads through heald eyes and reed

dents, it is firmly fixed to the cloth beam with the help of the old silk threads. After this, the lace, which has been tied to one end of the warp beam is detached and fixed to a separate rod known as "Pattu Oodu Kattai" or lace beam.
7. Preparation of Adai
An outline saree border design is first drawn to scale on drawing paper and the design is traced on graph sheet paper. The required design is given to the design and inked-in squares are marked on the paper for the portion where figures come in. Now, this design is ready for the harness or Adai preparation. Jacquard attachment, which read the cards, punched to the requirement of the design, and accordingly lift the thread associated with the design formation and pattern on the saree is achieved. Fig 2 explains the operation of the simple jacquard employed in the manufacturing of silk yarn and role of selection device in achieving the control over the operation of the warp threads. This layout shows the connection between the machine and the harness. The horizontal needle 'A' are each connected to a vertical hook B by forming a loop or a half-bend round the latter, and are supported by a needle -board I, through which they project slightly. The rear end of each needle, which is formed into a narrow loop is pressed by a spiral spring F to ensure the return of the needle to the original position after each selection. The hooks are prevented from turning sideways by doubling -up their lower ends and passing them through narrow slits in grate G with the bent ends resting on spindles H when the hooks are in the low position. The number of needles in each short row varies from 4, as shown in figure to 16 and the number of short rows is multiplied to give the required size of machine. It is general rule to connect the needles and hooks in the order shown in figure, the top needle being connected to the hook nearest to, and the bottom needle to the hook farthest from the cylinder C. The same number of inclined lifting knives K are carried in an iron frame called griffe J as there are hooks B in a short row. A card-cylinder C, over which the pattern cards D pass, contains on each surface a hole opposite the end of each needle. Each face of the cylinder is provided with two pegs which act as the location points to ensure proper registration of the card against the cylinder perforation. The cards D, the number of which is equal to the number of picks in

the complete repeat of a design, are laced together at the sides and in the middle: then the last card is joined to the first so that the endless chain is formed. Then pitch of the needles, and the holes in the card-cylinder, and cards is exactly the same.
The harness consists of neck cords M that are suspended from the hooks B; harness cords N, which are connected to the neck cords and passed separately through holes in a comber-board O; mails P and lingoes or weights Q. The number of harness cords, mails and lingoes connected to each neck-cord M varies according to the "tie" and "set" of the harness. By means of the lingoes Q, the warp thread cords and hooks are returned to their original position after they have been raised. The purpose of the comber-board 0 is to keep the harness cords in position to determine the number of cords per unit space. Each hooks controls as many warp threads as there are harness cords connected to the corresponding neck-cord.
8. WEAVING
The silk saree is distinguished by its 1) Body portion, which is either plain weave, motif & butta or rich brocade 2) Border portion, which is either single or double sided with motifs /medium design and 3) Pallu / Mundi portion, which is generally of rich designs.
Plain weave is achieved by operating the healds, depending upon the need, by operating the treadle attached to it. Motifs in the border and rich designs in the Pallu / Mundi are generated by pulling the lever connected to the Jacquard boxes of different hook capacity. Thus, while weaving the body and border portion, treadle is operated along with or without jacquard lever with great care and dexterity. Weft insertion is always with hands by throwing a medium size shuttle from one end and beating the weft to the fell of the cloth. Small pirns of silk or Zari are used as shuttle for the weft insertion in the case of small butta, motifs in the body, Pallu and border. Thus, for the preparation of double side contrast border

silk saree, three shuttles are used, which requires an extra manpower that is generally achieved by employing child as laborer.
Petni is the process of joining the Mundi of a different colour (same colour as that of border) to the body of the saree in such a way that the two coloured yarns blend together. It is very tedious process, it involves mending of all the warp ends of the body portion of the saree, drawing all the mended ends through healds and reed and finally cutting the protruding yarns after weaving certain portion of the Pallu.
The main disadvantage associated with this Korvai effect that it requires more manpower and is tedious to weave.
Petni is the process of joining the Mundi of a different colour. This process of joining the Mundi of a different colour (mostly same colour as that of border) to the body of the saree in such a way that the two coloured yarns blend together. It is tedious process, it involves mending of all the warp ends of the body portion of the saree, drawing all the mended ends through healds and reed and finally cutting the protruding yarns after weaving certain portion of the Pallu. The Petni process is nothing but mending the Pallu portion of warp with the existing portion of the body in each saree. This involves mending of all the warp threads in the body portion of the saree, which counts to few thousand. Moreover, after mending, the ends have to be cautiously drawn through the delicate heald high as well the tender stalk of Cholam. Also, after drawing the newly mended threads/ ends, one has to care fully weave to certain extent, which requires more skill. This results in homogeneous blend of differently coloured warp yarns as a special effect which runs across the length of the saree.
The main disadvantage associated with this Petni process/ effect is it requires more skill and labour for the proper formation of this effect. When high value items are woven, extra care is warranted for producing this effect. Also, considerable quantity of material is wasted besides wasting precious time.

Nowadays, this Petni process is seldom employed in regular sarees production, where as the production of high value items and traditional sarees involves Petni process.
Alternative to Petni Effect
Nowadays, tie and dye principle of dyeing is predominantly used to achieve the same effect.
In most of the silk saree production, the Petni process, which is mending differently coloured end for the production of Pallu / Mundi portion, has been replaced by tie - dye process. In this process, a single warp is dyed with two or more coloured dyes in order to have different body and pallu hues. This is generally achieved by dyeing one saree warp length [both body and Pallu portion] with body colour first, stripping the Pallu colour by means of bleaching, which is a reduction process and finally dyeing the Pallu portion with different colour.
The main disadvantage associated with this tie - dye process is, repeated dyeing of warp and stripping/ bleaching of Pallu/ Mundi portion results in poor tenacity properties. Thus, the life of saree and its durability particularly the Pallu portion is reduced. Also, the reduction process of bleaching has its own disadvantage in silk dyeing. Reformation of stripped colour due to natural oxidation at Pallu portion is highly undesirable.
Another alternative is to dyeing the body and pallu portion part by part without stripping the Paalu colour,
This uniqueness of the Kanchipuram silk saree especially the Korvai and Petni should be maintained, without its associated disadvantage. This was the main aspiration for inventing this process invention, loom modification and product development

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is basically a unique way of weaving Kanchipuram Silk Saree with contrast boarder with Korvai effect also termed as the "KV Technique".
The invention proposed herein is a method which results in the uniqueness of the Kanchipuram silk saree viz. Korvai and Petni effect without the associated disadvantage each effect has within. More clearly, it is an invention of a new Kanchipuram silk saree, which has better drape ability and other comfort properties, which is otherwise missing in the conventional silk saree.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates the basic weaving process.
Figure 2 illustrates the modified loom employed for the invention.
Figure 3 illustrates the pattern of the fabric.
Figure 4 illustrates the line diagram of the fabric.
Figure 5 illustrates the peg plan of the fabric.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be

embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.
In order to achieve the method of this invention also termed as the "KV Technique" the following are required:
a) Modification of loom structure,
b) Process techniques
c) New Product development.
The modified and improved loom is described in co-pending patent application number 1358 CHE 2006.
The new product obtained by the method described herein is described in co-pending patent application number 1360 CHE 2006.
The Kanchipuram silk saree of contrast border is illustrated in figure, where in the body portion is colour 1 (say Maroon), the border portion is colour 2 (say Green) and the Pallu/ Mundi is as that of border with full of motif / butta in the body, motif in the border and rich design in the body. The meeting point of body and border is the Korvai technique, wherein few ends of body and border overlap to form the effect, which is literally woven with different shuttle by employing the Child labour. The meeting point of Pallu/ Mundi and Body is the Petni effect, which is literally mending all the ends of the body with that of Pallu/ Mundi. This is very tedious, time consuming and cumbersome process, which results in wastage of material. The tie & dye process also has some disadvantage associated with it. The prevalent process of tie & dye method of dyeing involves dyeing the full length of

silk warp with one colour, stripping the Pallu/ Mundi portion and again dyeing the said portion. The other improved way of tie & dye method of dyeing involves dyeing the body and Pallu portion part by part. Both the techniques has its own disadvantage, which has already been enumerated.
In this invention, it has been attempted to produce a silk saree with contrast border and pallu without tie & dye method of dyeing and the required effect of Korvai and Petni have been created with altering the draft and lifting plan. More clearly, the total number of saree ends say 1000 ends have been divided in to two halves. On part of ends, that is 5000 ends has been dyed with colour 1 (say Maroon) and the other part with colour 2 (say Green). This set of 10000 ends have been drawn and dented so as to produce two different sarees. One saree with body of colour 1 (say Maroon) and border/ pallu of colour 2 (say Green) and the other saree with body of colour 2 (say Green) and border/ pallu of colour 1 (say Maroon). The draft and lifting plan of border and Pallu have been changed to create the contrast effect. The required designs on border, body and pallu have been created on either side of the saree using the Jacquard. An illustration of the same is given in figure 4.
PROCESS TECHNIQUES
The weaving process technique involves, weaving the body portion of saree face, which is colour 1 (say Maroon) by lifting half of the Maroon body warp threads from the rest of the body warp threads and weaving the border portion of saree back, which is colour 1 (say Maroon) by depressing half of the Maroon border warp threads on both sides from the rest of the border warp threads using a single weft insertion of colour 1 (say Maroon). Thus, the body portion of saree face and the border portions of saree back, which of same colour (Maroon) is woven and the weft is beat up to the fell of the cloth.
Then, weaving the border portion of saree face, which is colour 2 (say Green) by lifting half of the Green border warp threads on both sides from the rest of the

border warp threads and weaving the body portion of saree back, which is colour 2 (say Green) by depressing half of the Green body warp threads from the rest of the body warp threads using a single weft insertion of colour 2 (say Green). Thus, the body portion of saree back and the border portions of saree front, which of same colour (Green) is woven and the weft is beat up to the fell of the cloth. The body warp threads are operated using treadles lever and the border portion is operated through jacquard with paddle.
It is also possible to develop, with the same loom features and process techniques, a variety of product of reversible sarees, which includes semi contrast, self-design, etc. This saree other wise can be treated as double saree with different body and border/ Pallu colours with different motifs/ design on the face/ back of the saree.
ADVANTAGES
The present invention is of a new Kanchipuram silk saree, which has better drape ability and other comfort properties, which is otherwise missing in the conventional silk saree. This saree can also be treated as double saree with different body and border/ Pallu colours with different motifs/ design on the face/ back of the saree.
It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other control methods and apparatuses can be derived from the combinations of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention as taught by the description and the accompanying drawings and these shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention. Further, description of such combinations and variations is therefore omitted above.
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.

I CLAIM
1) An improved method of producing a silk saree comprising the steps of
a) winding, doubling and twisting ;
b) degumming and dyeing ;
c) dressing and sizing ;
d) piecing ;
e) drawing and denting ;
f) joining of lace
g) preparation of Adai;
h) weaving
characterized in that the required effect of Korvai and Petni are created by altering the draft and lifting plan and not adopting the conventional tie and dye method of dyeing while producing a silk saree with contrast border and pallu.
2) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the saree ends are divided into two halves, the first half being dyed with the preferred color [say for example the color 1, the color may be maroon] and the second half is dyed with second preferred color, [say for example color 2, the color may be green], wherein these two sets of saree ends are drawn and dented so as to produce two different sarees; wherein one saree with body of color 1 (maroon, as an example) and border /pallu of color 2 (green, as an example) and border/ pallu of color 1 (maroon, as an example) are weaved ; wherein the draft and lifting plan of border and pallu are changed to create the contrast effect.
3) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the required designs on border, body and pallu are created on either side of the saree using the jacquard.

4) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the additional features like creation of body design with same or different contrasting colors are preferably processed by conventional means.
5) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the body portion of saree face is woven by lifting half of the color 1 (maroon, for example) body warp threads from the rest of the body warp threads and weaving the border portion of saree back, which is color 1 (maroon, for example) by depressing half of the color 1 border warp threads on both sides from the rest of the border warp threads using a single weft insertion of color 1 thus the body portion of saree face and the border portions of saree back of same color is woven and the weft is beat up to the fell of the cloth.
6) An improved process of producing a silk saree as claimed in the preceding
claims wherein the border portion of saree face is woven by lifting half of the
color 2 (green, for example) border warp threads on both sides from the rest of
the border warp threads and weaving the body portion of saree back which is
color 2 by depressing half of the color 2 body warp threads from the rest of the
body warp threads using a single weft insertion of color 2, thus the body portion
of saree back and the border portions of saree front of same color is woven and
the weft is beat up to the fell of the cloth.
7) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the body-warp threads are operated using treadles lever and the border portion is operated through jacquard with paddle.
8) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the said silk saree is preferably and most preferably a revisable saree, the said variety includes semi-contrast, self design etc.

d) An improved method of producing a silk saree as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the said silk saree is preferably and most preferably a double saree with different body and border/ pallu color with different motifs/ design pattern on the face/back of the saree.