Textile

Physical description

This cotton blouse piece is made with the ikat technique, which is the process of binding threads to resist dye prior to weaving the fabric.

Place of Origin

Bellary, India (made)

Date

1866-1867 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Cotton and silk warp ikat

Object history note

Ikat is a type of weaving where the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs on the finished fabric. The dyeing process begins with binding the resist areas with impermeable yarn or rubber bands. The precision of the wrapping determines the clarity of the design. After wrapping, the threads are dyed, but the areas under the ties retain their original colour. Numerous colours can be added after additional wrappings. When the dyeing process is complete, the warp threads are meticulously arranged on the loom to prepare the design. The natural movement during weaving gives ikat designs their characteristic feathered edge. Techniques with matching patterns on warp and weft are called double ikat.

Descriptive line

Cotton and silk warp ikat textile, Karnataka (Bellary), 1866-67

Materials

Cotton; Silk

Techniques

Ikat

Categories

Textiles

Collection code

SSEA