Kadhiyal
Kadiyal or Korvai is an ancient three shuttle weaving method. This method is used to create contrasting borders in a saree. The three shuttles are used for creating the upper and lower border of the saree and the body. The borders are joined with the body of the saree in an interlocking procedure and this interlocking is called Kadhiyal in the local banarasi language.
Kadhuwa
In kadhwa (stands for “kadha hua” or “embellished”) weaving, each motif is woven separately as opposed to other Banarasi techniques. Often two weavers weave a kadhwa saree. One weaver is engaged in weaving the cloth or the body of the saree and the second helps in carving out or embroidering each motif using a woodel spool or sirki as it’s called in Banaras. Using this technique, many different motifs of different sizes, colours and textures can be woven on the same sari, which is quite difficult to do.
A kadhuwa saree typically take a minimum of 15-20 days to complete and go up to 8-9 months also depending on the intricacy of the design. The back side of a kadhwa saree is clean and has almost negligible or zero float or lose threads.
Phekuwa or Cutwork
Phekwa is weaving style from banaras, where the weft yarn is interlaced in the warp from one end to the other creating textures on the surface of the cloth also called the zamin. This can be done with single silk yarn or resham or zari, or both can be wound around shuttles.
This is one of the most widely used banarasi handloom weaving technique where the motifs are woven together as oppossed to kadhwa saress, thus taking lesser time in completing a saree. This weaving style leaves large proportion of the silk or zari thread at the back of the saree where there is no motif at the front. These threads at the back are then cut, once the saree is complete. Mostly the ladies of the house help in cutting and cleaning this extra float.