Exploring Ikat Textiles

I have loved Ikat fabrics for as long as I can remember. The striated, colorful designs combine symmetry with a painterly feel that my eyes find truly exciting.

The word ‘Ikat’ is the Indonesian word for ‘bind’. When the warp threads of a fabric are tied and dyed in carefully calculated bundles, a design is created before the warp is even on the loom. The figures and patterns emerge as the fabric is woven.

Ikat fabrics exist in cultures as far apart as Indonesia, Africa, India, South America, Central Asia and Japan. Head to Wikipedia for a really exhaustive article on this textile technique.