Weaving process

The weaving of jamakkalam involves the basic weaving processes of any other woven fabric. After setting up the pit looms and loading the throw shuttle with weft yarns, there are few process or motions involved in the weaving of jamakkalam. They are shedding, picking in, beating up.

The shedding process involves creating a shed between the even-numbered and odd-numbered yarns loaded in two different heddles/healds or achuvadi respectively. This process is operated by pedaling the treadle/medhi palagai once with legs.

The picking process involves throwing the shuttle loaded with weft yarns from right to left or vice versa inside the shed formed in one hand.

The beating up process involves packing the weft yarns with help of the achu pannai/reed. The achu pannai packs the weft yarns in the shed tightly by moving them towards the weaver.

These three motions are repeated in the other direction (from the left to the right). Repeating this process various times results in weaving.

The hands of the weaver will reach up to the distance of achupannai. When the woven jamakkalam reaches that distance it is rolled onto the cloth beam or padamaram attached to the modakkatai with the help of an iron rod called kadapaarai . This is process is repeated whenever woven jamakkalam reaches the distance of achupannai/reed till the completion of jamakkalam. The process of winding up woven jamakkalam to cloth beam is called the Taking up of the jamakkalam. The woven jamakkalam is then cut and removed from the pit loom after the completion of the weaving process.