
What is Ikat? How it's made and why we love it
We’re excited to feature this amazing textile at Fabric Spark - Ikat, (pronounced ee-kaht).
Amazingly, the Ikat woven technique emerged independently in various parts of the world including the Philipines, Indonesia and India. The weaving method is centuries old and was originally employed as a ceremonial fabric.
What is it?
Ikat refers to fabrics that have been woven using resist-dyed strands of yarn. Resist-dying involves tying the threads at specific areas, which makes it more difficult for the dye to saturate that part of the threads, then leaving the other areas untied, allowing for dye to be completely absorbed. The threads appear to move from low to high saturation, as a result. When these yarns are woven strategically, they create a dynamic pattern that is truly unique.
The number of colours used to dye the yarn can range from two to several dozen. Below is a two colour Ikat (left) and a three colour ikat (right).
There are other yarn dyed wovens like shot cottons or chambrays, gingham and yarn dyed stripes, but Ikat is different. The use of resist dyeing to creates a variegated effect on the thread. Many wovens we see in the quilting and bag making world feature yarn that is dyed with a single colour. Each of the single-colours threads are then woven into patterns to create yardage. The patterns are often grid-based as a result because the warp threads are one colour and the weft threads another.
The complexity of the pattern in Ikat is the result of how the dyed yarns are used when weaving. It’s important to emphasize the high-level of craftsmanship required to produce patterns using dyed yarn. Artisans perfect their skills with experience and experimentation.
"Single Ikat" fabric uses a single-coloured weft thread (left to right) and resist-dyed warp threads (up and down) to create motifs that feature lengthy elements, such as stretched chevrons. This approach created a dramatic and modern look so we chose 5 single Ikat designs to bring in. You can see them here.
If you're wondering what to make with Ikat, check out the lovely Chanterelle pants that Shirley made in the black. We're offering a workshop to make these awesome pants in case you'd like to learn to make them.

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