Weaving the Songket

Picture shows all my Convent Peel Road Malay teachers fascinated with the weaving loom that only Pn Ramlah knows how to use as she demonstrates for us the art of weaving a piece of cloth...here in Trengganu it is the songket.

A state rich in culture, tradition and an amazing array of handicrafts, Terengganu can also boast originality in songket designs

Songket of Terengganu, which was once worn only by royalties and dignitaries, is a work of art where traditional weaving technology is still being used to create designs of exquisite elegance.
It has graced the designer labels creating contemporary and fashionable wear, traditional Malay costumes, scarves, handbags and purse, among others. 

Songket Weaving - Malaysia

The frame loom was probably introduced from West Europe. The Malay weavers added to the frame loom, a fine comb where the warps could be passed through and separated but kept evenly spaced. This modified method meant that it was much easier to set up a plain silk warp and create patterns with the weft threads. It must have encouraged the creation of the songket especially in decorating the fabric with gold threading.

 The songket utilises an intricate supplementary weft technique where gold threads are woven in between the longitudinal silk threads of the background cloth. This rich and luxurious fabric demonstrated the social structure of the Malay elite.

In the past two decades, kain songket has been introduced into a wider audience of culturally conscious wearers. Terengganu has the highest concentration of songket weavers in Malaysia. With the gradual reintroduction of songket into the Malay Culture, there seems to be a stronger reason for the locals to take up weaving as a profession.

Bibah Songket

Puan Hajjah Habibah introduced a new weaving technique to accommodate a variety of colour threads that could be added to the songket piece. 
Going back to the roots of traditional malay songket weaving, Bibah set up her factory in Terengganu at a small village called Kampung Rhu Rengeh. She trained her master weavers from scratch and after years of preserverence, her efforts are beginning to fruit. The young weavers whom she hires from the nearby villages have developed such skills and confidence that they often shun simple designs for more intricate ones.
 This small but significant cottage industry of songket weaving is taking a big circle and returning the art and traditions of the Malays to the people.

Her attention to detail and the quality to create her pieces warrants apiece made in at least 3months but the wearer and buyer can be assured of the making of an heirloom for years of appreciation and pride. Having established a ready market for traditional use of songket, Kak Bibah continues to expand the horizon of opportunities for songket.

Today, the Songket is sublime. It has finally developed a story, a lovestory enriched with art, passion, tradition and identity. The true Malay Songket.

For more information, contact:
Bibah Songket

Lot 1040 Kg.Rhu Renggeh, 21080 Chendering, Kuala Terengganu

Tel: +6 09 617 1853 Fax: +6 09 617 2693

email : bibahsongket@yahoo.com website: www.bibahsongket.com