Songket Weaving in Bali, Indonesia

Songket cloth is often brocaded (sungkit or nyuntik; decorated with an extra weft) with metallic thread. This cloth is often worn during weddings and other religious occasions by the royal family and the upper class.

*These songket are on display at the Bali Museum* in Denpasar.**		This songket was worn at a 2007 royal wedding in Ubud, Bali.

Songket cloth is still backstrap woven by independent weavers in Sidemen, Bali. It may be purchased from Pelangi in Sidemen, Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia (telephone 366 23012).

This weaver was too quick for me to properly photograph in sequence. As she moved toward and away from the cloth, she changed the sheds and inserted the weft at lightning speed!

Supplementary metallic weft is inserted.

The shed is changed.

More SMW is inserted.


The shed is again changed by pulling up another string heddle.	The beater is inserted to help open the shed.	The cotton weft is passed through.


SMW is carefully placed.	The shed is again changed by pulling up another string heddle.


Sword placement assures that only the warp along the edges are raised for the SMW.	More Supplementary Metallic Weft is carefully inserted.


The shuttle is passed through.	The bamboo shuttle holds a bobbin of cotton thread.