Kani kashmiri saree

While the name 'Kani' comes from the area where this particular artisans come from, Kanihama, the word 'Kani' - in Kashmiri - also means a small wooden oblong spool. kani work is done by needle made of cane.Each kani represents one knot in the weave, and the weaver must follow a graph paper design closely to ensure that the design is accurately replicated,

The distinguishable, Mughal patterns, usually of flowers and leaves, are woven into the fabric like a carpet, thread by thread, based on the coded pattern called 'Talim'. The talim guides the weaver in number of warp threads to be covered in a particular colored-weft.

Families who are in weaving Kani Shawls usually work patiently, working between 5 and 7 hours a day, in between attending to their household chores. Depending on the intricacy and complexity of the design being woven, an artisan can weave a maximum of few centimetres per day. Depending on the design, size and detailing, a Kani Shawl may take anything between 6 and 18 months to be completed.