What is ikat fabric?
What is ikat fabric?
Ikat fabric is a dyeing technique used to create a distinct style of textile patterns. Ikat is done by resist dyeing sections of the yarns prior to weaving the fabric.
In ikat the resist is formed by binding individual yarns or bundles of yarns with a tight wrapping applied in the desired pattern. The yarns are then dyed. The bindings may then be altered to create a new pattern and the yarns dyed again with another colour. This process may be repeated multiple times to produce elaborate, multicoloured patterns. When the dyeing is finished all the bindings are removed and the yarns are woven into cloth. In other resist-dyeing techniques such as tie-dye and batik the resist is applied to the woven cloth, whereas in ikat the resist is applied to the yarns before they are woven into cloth. Because the surface design is created in the yarns rather than on the finished cloth, in ikat both fabric faces are patterned.
Ikat is usually described using terms that refer to which threads are dyed.
Warp Ikat: where only the warp threads are bound. This is the most common.
Weft Ikat: where only the weft threads are bound.
Compound Ikat: where both the warp and weft threads are bound, but their designs are independent of each other.
Double Ikat: where both the warp and weft threads are bound, but their designs work together to create the overall pattern. This technique is the most rare due to how complicated and difficult it is to create.
About Ikat History
Early in the history of human civilization, peoples around the world determined that it was possible to make incredibly intricate and beautiful garments by binding yarn together in desired patterns and dying it in bunches. It’s unclear where, exactly, ikat fabric first appeared, but it’s a central cultural artifact of many East Asian, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, and European civilizations.
How Is Ikat Fabric Made?
Some photos from handwoven processes;
Sources;
1) www.designpoolpatterns.com
2) www.craftatlas.co
3) www.sewport.com
Photos;
Photos are courtesy of the Press Service of Tourism and Sports Department of Fergana Region.
