EAOT: National Textiles Museum

31/1/20 - A Visit to The National Textiles Museum

This morning I went down to the National Textiles Museum which is located nearby Pasar Seni. I initially went there to learn more about traditional technique and methods on creating fabrics that would then inspire me to experiment. The two storey building displayed traditional machines and materials that were used in the past whereas the second floor displayed clothing and accessories.

*The museum was fairly dark so it was hard to take photos as flash was prohibited.

The 'Canting' Technique

Batik is a really common traditional printing technique found in Malaysia and other South East Asian regions nearby. In short, this method uses a handheld pipe which dispenses melted wax. Designs are then drawn out onto fabrics and are left to dry before dying; floral motifs are often found within batik designs. Carved wooden blocks are also used to for more intricate seamless patterns.

Traditional Weaving Machine

The photos above are from a display of an old weaving machine that was used to create more larger pieces of fabric. As you can see, the photo on the left is a more minimal design where the one on the far right is a more intricate design. This shows that motifs of all sorts are able to be made on this machine despite it simply made out of wood.

Left: pineapple fibre used to create fabric.

Middle: natural dyes made up of fruits mangosteens and rambutans.

Right: 'tye dying' using threads tide up in different sections to dye a certain area without it leaking to another area.

Left: A 'Punca Potong' cloth used as a samping for men, and as a shawl for women.

Middle: A set up of an embroidery hoop with a beaded design for the top of a women's heel.

Right: Traditional embroidery machine used to create floral patterns on clothing such as a kebaya.