INCREDIBLE IKAT…A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

IKAT

Ikat, or Ikkat, is a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design.

India “Ikat” is known as Bandha of Orissa, patola of Gujarat, Pochampally in Andhra Pradesh .

The term ikat which is a Malay Indonesian word “ manikat” means resist Tie and dye technique.

Many scholars feel that this type of textile design originated in Malay

and Indonesia.

They give two reasons in support of this theory.

The first of course term Ikat which has Malayan origin. And second

since this craft developed in coastal states like Gujarat, Orissa, Andhra

Pradesh etc., it may be presumed that the technology is an imported,

one which came through trade that existed through sea route

CLASSIFICATION When both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before

weaving the pattern or design is known as a Double Ikat.

When either the warp or the weft are tie-dyed before weaving the pattern or design is known as a Single Ikat.

When the warp are tie-dyed before weaving the pattern or design is known as a Warp Ikat.

When the weft are tie-dyed before weaving the pattern or design is known as a Weft Ikat.

IKATS AROUND THE WORLD

WEFT IKAT ------ INDIA

WARP IKAT--------INDONESIA

JAPAN

AFRICAN IKAT--KENYA

NIGERIA

INCREDIBLE INDIAN IKATS

PATOLA OF GUJRAT

BANDHAS OF ORISSA

POCHAMPALLY OF ANDHRA PRADESH

PATOLA OF GUJRAT Weavers community are the Salvi community of

Gujrat.

Important places are-Patan

Surat

Ahmedabad

Vadodra

Broach

Most intricate double ikat design are in ikats of Gujarat.

BANDHAS OF ORISSA

Weavers community are the Meher’s and Patra’s community of Orissa.

Important places are-Bhubaneswar

Nuapatna

Sambalpur

Bolangir

Bargarh

Berhampur

Motifs are very clear and unique for its Gitagovinda Script inscription called “PHETA”.

POCHAMPALLY OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Weavers community are the Padmashali community of Andhra Pradesh.

Important places are-Pochampally

Koyalgudam

Siripuram

Chautupal

Putapakka

Elanki

Motifs are not very clear. Ikat production in these areas started in 20th century.

HISTORY OF IKAT

Ikats have been woven in cultures all over the world.

Like any craft or art form, ikats vary widely from country to

country and region to region.

Designs may have symbolic of ritual meaning or have

been developed for export trade.

Ikats are often symbols of status, wealth, power and

prestige.

Perhaps because of the difficulty and time required to

make ikats, some cultures believe the cloth is imbued with

magical powers.

HISTORY OF IKAT

In Central and South America , Ikat is still common in

Argentina Bolvia ,Ecaudar , Gautemala and Mexico.

India , Japan and several South-East Asian countries have

cultures with long histories of Ikat production.

Double Ikats can still be found in India , Guatemala,

Japan and the Indonesian islands of Bali .

There are known links between ikat production in

India and South-East Asia.

Patola Cloth, a double ikat from Gujarat, western

India, used to be exported to Indonesia for the use of

the royal families.

As early as the fifteenth century Gujarati merchants

brought patola to Indonesian rulers, an activity taken

over by the Dutch at the beginning of the seventeenth

century to gain concessions in the spice trade.

The patterns in the Patola Ikats are strikingly similar to

the double ikats produced in Bali, Indonesia.

Ikat weaving from the Island of

Sumba, Indonesian.

Detail of a classic Gujarati patola from

the early 19th century

IKAT - is a type of weaving where the warp,

weft or both are tie-dyed before weaving to

create designs on the finished fabric.

Great care must be taken in tying resist.

The precision of the wrapping determines the

clarity of the design.

After wrapping, the warp threads are dyed.

When finished and unwrapped

Raw materials such as yarns and dyes are resourced from the nearest

market.

Then convert them into cones/bobbins with the help of winding

machine.

Semi-circular frames with pegs are used for preparation of

weft.

At first they make the designs on graph paper.

Then the design is transferred to the threads. It is generally in the

ratio of 1:7 to the graph.

Then they use that thread to transfer the design on weft.

Dyeing with First(lightest) Colour.

Repeat the (Tie & Dye) process for Third/Fourth Colour as required

according to the Colour in the Design after tying.

After tying, the silk threads are dyed.

Then the ties are removed revealing with designs and texture created

by the ties on the woven fabric. This is a labor intensive craft!

Placing of the Tie & Dye weft on Tie & Dye Frame for Rewiding

For cotton Warping preparation is done at small scale as well as at large

scale

Then go for sizing,done on the street.

Then go for tying and then dyeing.

Stretching the Warp and Each Unit is separated from the

next group

They attach the new warp to the old warp.

It takes 15 days to do the denting.

Joining takes 3 days. So it saves time.

Traditional pit loom are still used, looms were set into low mud

walls, and the weaver sat on the ground.

The treadles were in a pit at his feet. shafts are attach to it.

By moving the treadles weaver could lower the shafts.

Each shaft consisted of a large number of vertical loops of thread

(known as heddles) through which an individual warp thread is

passed.

They brush the warp yarn with a wax which enabled the fine silk

threads to withstand the tensions and movements of the weaving.

They also use extra weft

patterning

They also use dobby and

jacquard for borders

After the threads are dyed the loom is set up. The pattern is visible to the weaver when the dyed threads are used

Dying the weft makes it much more difficult to make ikats with precise patterns. The weft is one continuous strand that is woven back and forth

Weft ikats are usually used when the precision of the pattern is not the main concern.

Double ikats are the most difficult to produce. In the finest examples from India and Indonesia, the warp and the weft are precisely tied and dyed so that the patterns interlock and reinforce each other when the fabric is woven.

The most precise ikat is the Japanese oshima -- thrice-woven cloth. The warp and weft threads are used as warp to weave stiff fabric, upon which the thread for the ikat weaving is spot-dyed. Then the mats are unraveled and the dyed thread is woven into oshima cloth.

The looms used are:

1. Traditional Pit loom:

2. Frame loom:

3. Raised loom:

A pit loom is a loom which takes less room

.Its uniqueness is that the weavers sit with his

or her legs in the pit.

This type of loom leaves the weaver hand free

to pass the weft shuttle.

2. Frame loom

The improved version of the pit loom is the

frame loom .

The entire structure of the loom is raised on

the ground by fixing and jointing wooden

battens.

The raised loom is also a version of a pit loom.

The only difference is that in a raised pit loom the

weaver sits on a raised top instead of digging a pit.

The Peacock

The peacock symbolizes beauty. A dancing

peacock symbolizes coming of the rains and

is therefore associated with prosperity.

The Elephant

Elephants are associated with fertility and

cosmic waters. The elephant-headed God of

learning, Ganesha.

Mallepu:

its like jaismin flower.