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No image on Amazon.com, so I offer this image of my own copy of Ikat Textiles of India, by Chelna Desai
A contemporary view of Ikat textiles in India. Shown are designs in a wide range of colors, from simple everyday styles to complex, rare examples. Includes the history and technique of Ikat with a very useful glossary.
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This photo is of my own well-worn copy of this wonderful reference book.
Anyone who has an interest in the origins of textile design will enjoy this in-depth view into the world of color and design in textiles. Major types of resist dye are explored in this instructional visual resource, complete with numerous photos of textile work in their extraordinary processes, in their original tribal environments.
Authors: Jack Lenor Larsen: Renowned designer, craftsman and colorist; anthropologist Dr Alfred Buhler; ikat specialists Bronwen and Garrett Solyom. c. 1976, Van Nostrand Reinhold.
In my recent blog post in which I showed a few some images of the “Decor and Fashion” connection, I presented a brief description of the intricate dye-and-weave process knows as “Ikat.”
Shown: my own well-worn copy of this wonderful reference book.
Now, for those of you who have an interest in what’s behind the fashion aspect, I’m happy to introduce two wonderful books on the subject of Ikat, and other traditional dye techniques.
The Dyer’s Art is an exciting compendium of many resist-dye techniques. The author, Jack Lenor Larsen, is a renowned designer, artist, and authority on weaving.
“Resist” dyeing is most recognizable in it’s most simplistic form as the good-old “tie dye’ of the 60′s and even more recently in it’s rebirth in the funky-trendy mode.
My own definition: What it refers to technically is any process by which yarns, woven textiles, or other materials are bound, coated, or otherwise treated to “resist” application of, or immersion in, a dye or other colorant.
Whether your familiarity with Resist dyeing is from that mode, or in batik (wax), or other, less familiar methods like “Plangi” and “Arashi Sibori” and others, Resist techniques are fascinating. For me, it’s been a long time interest, since I first started experimenting with textile design and art-to-wear, in the late 70′s. I’ve been an admirer of Mr. Larsen since I first heard of him!
Pages 224 and 225 illustrate making a traditional “Double Ikat” textile in Bali: creating an intricate tied-and-dyed design on the warped threads, right on the loom, before the weaving is even begun.
Beautiful! Pages 174-175, if you get the book.
Less technical, Ikat Textiles of India, Chelna Desai presents an entire book of beautiful examples of more contemporary fashion applications in addition to traditional Ikat method. While Larsen explores Ikat with a global view, Desai focuses on Indian Ikat work. This beautiful book is illustrated with images of Ikat textiles from many private collections in India.
Hundreds of traditional and contemporary examples of Indian Ikat
You can check out both of these volumes through our own Design Library.
A brief visit to the Boston Design Center yesterday inspired me to take some quick shots of colorful displays that include some interesting patterns.
Painted furniture at Grange
Chocolate brown with turquoise was a theme at a few locations. Looks like this beautiful combination is here to stay for a while!
Chocolate and Blue, or Turquoise, is here to stay for a while
Another view of this combination
More of the chocolate-turquoise combination
This is Not at the BDC--but you can see the color combination works here at Silk Road Weaves, as well
LOOPY/Meandering, in 100% Himalayan wool, from Silk Road Weaves
Back at the Boston Design Center, adding a twist of earthy yellow-green, Lee Jofa shows this great skirt!
Connecting Decor with Fashion at Lee Jofa
Personally, I love the connection between decor-and-fashion. (More about this in some future posts)
The tribal look of Ikat weaving is looming large. In this case, probably not genuine tribal Ikat, but it’s the look that people see.
What is Ikat? a quick technical note…
True Ikat, a method of weaving that involves dyeing a design on the loom, is a highly labor-intensive process. Imagine this: Attach the warp materials (thread or yarn, running lengthwise) on the loom to prepare for weaving. Tie off specific areas of the warp, on the loom, to create the basis for the design. Then, weave your design with yarns or threads previously dyed in a specific way to intersect with the dyed warp. That’s just the quick-story of only one method of Ikat dye and weaving process.
If you want to find out more about Ikat weaving, look for one of my favorite books on the subject, coming soon to our Design Library.
More evidence of this influence, in bedding…
View into the Kravet showroom: Ikat influence in bedding design. It's more visible close-up.
..and in upholstery. Easier to see closeup–this is a sort of “animal print/ikat’ style.
Animal print "goes Ikat," at M-Geough
A closer view of animal print, Ikat interpretation
Pillows get into the act, also
More of the Ikat influence
When I got to the Edelman leathers showroom, the beautiful displays were really inspiring. For example, just one of their walls of color and texture:
One "wall of color" at Edelman leather
More: a closeup of another section. Embossed, Furry, and in hundreds of colors.
Dimension, color, and pattern in leather at Edelman
Do you know someone who can make a jacket for me of this beautiful embossed suede? I’d have to decide which color…
Embossed Suede - and in beautiful colors, from Edelman
Last but not least, something really fun and dramatic for the right update-project:
Really Different - color and texture for just the right place.
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