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Types of Traditional Podlasie Textiles

For centuries, weaving was an integral part of everyday life in the Podlasie region. Nearly every household had a loom on which textiles were woven for both practical use and decorative purposes — from everyday household fabrics to textiles used to adorn homes and traditional clothing.

Different types of textiles varied in both their weaving techniques — and consequently in the level of skill required to produce them — as well as in their intended use. Many were woven from flax and wool produced on the family farm, and the knowledge of how to make them was passed down from one generation to the next.

In this section, you will find an overview of the most distinctive and widely recognized traditional textiles of the Podlasie region.

Kilim

Traditional kilims were woven by rural weavers on wide looms using wool yarn. They were primarily made as bedspreads, rugs or decorative wall hangings.

Their most distinctive feature was a striped composition filled with geometric ornaments — diamonds, zigzags, hooks, and wedge-shaped motifs — arranged in rhythmic, symmetrical patterns.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, many of these designs were documented by Ludwik Wierzbicki in his publication "Patterns of Domestic Craft: Kilims and Peasant Rugs in Ruthenia".

Woven Bands (Krajki)

Krajki are narrow, handwoven bands traditionally made from wool, flax, or cotton. They are one of the oldest forms of Polish folk weaving.

They were woven on simple band looms, a heddle frame (bardko) or using tablet weaving techniques. Krajki are distinguished by their rich colours and geometric patterns, including diamonds, zigzags, stripes, and crosses.

These woven bands served both practical and decorative purposes. They were used as belts, to reinforce and embellish the edges of shirts, aprons, and skirts, and to tie headscarves. They were also used for fastening sacks and chests, and during religious festivals and celebrations to decorate Easter palms and ceremonial wreaths. In many regions of Poland, krajki were an important element of traditional folk costume and ceremonial dress.

Most krajki measured between 2 and 10 cm (0.8–4 in) in width, while their length depended on their intended use. They were woven from brightly coloured yarns arranged in rhythmic compositions based on repeating geometric motifs.

The choice of colours was far from random. Reds, greens, deep blues, yellows, and whites dominated, reflecting the characteristic colour palette of traditional Polish folk weaving.

Multi-Shaft Weaving

Multi-shaft weaving refers to textiles woven on looms equipped with more than two shafts (also called harnesses).

Using a greater number of shafts—most commonly 4, 8, 16, or even more — allows the weaver to create far more complex weave structures and richer patterns than are possible with a simple plain weave. The more shafts a loom has, the greater the possibilities for designing intricate ornaments and textured fabrics.

In traditional folk weaving, multi-shaft textiles were typically woven from flax, wool or cotton. They were used to make tablecloths, towels, bedspreads, rag rugs and decorative textiles.

The use of multiple shafts makes it possible to weave a wide variety of structures, including twill, rib, basket weave and damask. These techniques create geometric motifs such as diamonds, herringbone, zigzags, checks and stripes, all of which are characteristic of traditional folk textile design.

The final appearance of the fabric depends on both the way the warp threads are threaded through the heddles and the sequence in which the loom's treadles are pressed.

Example: The more shafts a loom has, the more elaborate the patterns that can be woven.