Traditional Thai Silks
We have always sold Thai Silk on a person-to-person basis and this site is not intended to be a catalog for online ordering. We will be adding a few more pages over the coming weeks and hope to provide some useful (or at least, interesting) information here.
This is an example of some traditional Thai Silk pieces. Every piece here is heavy two ply, three-pedal (sawng mee, saam ta-kaw) method silk. This gives the silk a different appearance on each side and is much more durable than flat, two-pedal weave. The silks on this page are heirloom quality fabrics and will last for many years with proper care. They give a very basic representation of the types of patterns and colors of Mud mee silks; there are many, many more. There are two photos of each pattern; one close up, and one full width. Collectors, decorators designers and other interested folks should contact us with color/pattern requests. We can provide pictures before purchase.
Thai Silk: True "Old World" Art
These are not designed by a computer, they are hand tied and dyed in the silk yarns before weaving by some very talented ladies in Isaan (N. E. Thailand).
For centuries, artisans of Northeast Thailand have been tying, dyeing and weaving the intricate patterns into fine heavyweight cloth. This silk unlike any other I have ever seen, and has got to be the most luxurious of all silks. This is the rare "Thai Silk" you hear about
Mudt Mee, Ikat or Tie Dye Silk?
No matter what you call it, the fibers, tied and dyed in a series of steps prior to weaving, yield intricate and colorful designs. We have counted up to eight different colors in some pieces. The pieces are generally 4 meters by 1 meter in size. Some pieces are half patterned/half plain color some are completely patterned, others are paneled (pattern with border centered in the pieces). The patterns are continually evolving. The people and silk has kept me returning to the villages and homes of these wonderful people often. I have watched, and am continually awed by, the women tying these detailed patterns.
