IKAT TEXTILE

IKAT TEXTILE

1. History of design & fashion IKAT TEXTILE

2. HISTORy of ikat textile Ikat , or Ikkat , is the method of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft fibres. The term ikat comes from the malayan word mengikat which means to bind, knot or wind round. It incorporates the tie and dye method which gives these textiles their unique vibrancy of color and design.

3. Origin of ikat It is believed that the ikat textile design have developed in the coastal states like Gujarat, Orissa, sambalpur , and Andhra pradesh . This technology came to these states through the trade link between ancient Orissa and Bali in Indonesia. In western Orissa sub clusters like sambalpur , sonepur , boudh,etc , ikat is produced by communities like Bhulia assisted by kostha and kuli .

4. Ikat saree of orissa

5. Types of ikat Ikat textile is generally produced in three different varieties:- Warp ikat Weft ikat Double ikat Ikat is traditionally manufactured from the yarns of silk fibre . But now-a-days it is being also produced in cotton and tussar

6. Ikat saree woven in cotton and tussar silk

7. The making of ikat The making of ikat involves the use of a resist or barrier to protect certain portion of yarn from dye in away of enabling several colors to be used on the same textile. There are several other methods that uses this technique such as tie & dye and wax-resist (batik) method. But ikat is different from these methods as the resist method is applied to the yarns before weaving and not to the woven fabrics.

8. Stages of making ikat textile Warp ikat :- The first stage of making ikat textile from silk yarns is to prepare silk yarns. The silk yarns are prepared from cocoons by following method:- Extraction of silk filaments from the boiling cocoons The filaments are wounded onto a turning frame to strengthen and form threads The silk threads are reeled to make bobbins of silk Threads are fed onto large spinning wheels. Now the threads are ready for making pattern.

9. In the ikat binding workshop ( abr-bandi ) the threads are separated into even groups, called livits and threaded through between 40 to 60 holes pierced into the ends of the large patterning frame.

10. Now the pattern design is marked onto the threads using charcoal.

11. In the next stage, the areas which have to resist the dye are bindded by wrapping the cotton threads tightly.wax is also used over tied area.

12. Now the bundles of threads are dyed according to the colors to be used. To produce a multi-colored ikat , after the first application of color, only those tied areas are unbound which are to be colored next according to the pattern. In the more complex ikats , this process is repeated several times.Therefore the production of ikat is a process of great skill and cooperation which increases the cost of ikat textile.

13. Once all the dyes are applied, the warp threads are ready for weaving. The warp threads are attached to the simple treadle loom and then the weft threads are passed through the warp threads. The warp ikat is less complex than other types of ikat . During weaving the warp and weft threads are adjusted with iron needles.

14. Weft ikat Weft ikat uses resist-dye for the weft alone. The variance in colour of the weft means precisely delineated patterns which are more difficult to weave. therefore weft ikat are commonly employed where pattern precision is of less aesthetic concern than the overall resultant fabric. Some patterns become transformed by the weaving process into irregular and erratic designs. Guatemalan ikat is well-noted for its beautiful "blurs" in colouration. The precise images of Japanese kasuri ikat are fine examples of weft ikat .

15. Double ikat Double Ikat is where both warp and weft are resist-dyed. This form of weaving requires the most skill for precise patterns to be woven and is considered the premiere form of ikat . The amount of labour and skill required also make it the most expensive. Indian and Indonesian weavers produce highly precise double ikat .

16. The double ikat is famous by the name of patola . Patola is the famous ikat fabric of GUJARAT. Its design is extremely sharp and prominent. It is produced by a community called Salbhiya .

17. The Patola is woven on a primitive hand operated harness loom made out of Sagwaan wood and Bamboo strips. The loom lies at a slant with the left side being lower than the right side. The Bamboo shuttle is made to move to and fro through warp shades. Each wept shuttle is thoroughly examinated and matched with each part of the warp design pattern while weaving. The tension of the warp threads is removed by the help of needle after every time weaving of 8" to 10" of fabric. Patola weaving is highly accurate with a positioning of warp & wept of similar colour to obtain perfect design and harmony. The process is labour intensive , time consuming and requires high order of skill and experience. It takes three to four months to prepare ties dyed design on warp and wept threads for one saree of 5 1/2 meter length and 48 Inch width. The 4 to 5 weavers working together take a period of 5 months to 1 year to complete a saree depending on the intricacy of the design.

18. Finishing of ikat textile Finishing is applied to the surface so hat it appears shiny. This is achieved by various methods such as applying:- Egg-white solution Or a type of glue It is then beaten with a convex wooden hammer or glass sphere to soften the surface. The beating releases natural oil from the surface which provide natural shine to the textile surface.

19. Colors for ikat textile The dyes used for ikat are extracted from variety of natural resources:- Red-cochineal insect or from madder Green-seedpods and flowers of the pagoda tree or by dyeing yellow onto blue Yellow-delphinium, saffron or larkspur Pink- brazilwood Black- skins of pomegranates, the black mallow plant or the galls of pistachio trees Indigo-indigo plant imported from India Well-matched soft colors are used in ikat textile.

20. The dyeing methods are still practised but from the nineteenth century onwards the synthetic dyes are also being widely used.

21. Patterns &designs of ikat Flower field pattern ( phul vadi bhat ) –mostly used in double ikat Zig-zag pattern in shawls patkas and floorspreads,eg mashru is a variety of ikat in which zig-zag pattern is used and also silk warp and cotton weft is used Geometrical patterns motifs of animals such as elephants

22. motifs

23. Use & importance of ikat From a long time the ikats have been put to two main kinds of social use. They are shaped into elaborate personal costumes or employed as hangings within the home. Hence they became crucial indicators of social power. Richness and originality of design along with a symbol of traditional dressing, especially in a person’s ceremonial robes, came to be a key marker of status, age and social dignity. Ikats became a preferred item of diplomatic gift-giving.

24. THANKYOU