Ikat fabric is a type of textile design created by using a specific dying procedure. Before weaving the cloth, resist dyeing parts of the yarns is used to create Ikat. In ikat, the resist is created by tightly wrapping individual yarns or bundles of threads in the desired pattern. After that, the yarns are coloured. The bindings can then be changed to make a new pattern, and the yarns can be dyed a different colour. This procedure can be done several times to create intricate, multicoloured designs. All of the bindings are removed after the dyeing is completed, and the strands are woven into cloth. The resist is applied to the woven cloth in other resist-dyeing techniques like tie-dye and batik.
There are three primary forms of ikat, each of which is tied to the warp (the threads attached to the loom and held fixed) and weft (the yarn threaded between the warp strands in an over-under pattern) components of woven fabric. They can all be dyed with a single colour or a variety of colours, and the more dyeing you do, the more complicated the procedure becomes.
Warp
Only the warp yarns are coloured using the ikat process in warp ikat. The weft yarns have a solid colour dyed on them. Even before the weft is woven in, the ikat design can be seen in the warp strands wound onto the loom. Warp ikat is made, among other places, in Indonesia, notably by the Dayaks, Torajans, and Bataks in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Sumatra. Warp ikat is the most basic type of method, which entails dyeing the warp before weaving in the undyed weft.
Weft
Weft ikat is when the weft, rather than the warp, is coloured before weaving. Since the weft is not stationary like the warp, achieving flawless designs with this technique is much more difficult than with warp ikat. Weft ikats take much longer to weave than warp ikats because the weft yarns must be changed carefully after each shuttle pass to keep the design clear.
Double
Double ikat is the most challenging of all the techniques since both the warp and the weft are dyed into patterns before weaving. Only three countries make double ikat: India, Japan, and Indonesia. The most difficult ikat is the double ikat created in Patan, Gujarat, India. It's called "patola," and it's constructed out of delicate silk strands in a variety of hues. A simple motif that is repeated several times across the length of a six-meter sari can be used as a pattern.
In India, three major regions created Ikat as a renowned handloom textile art: Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Gujarat, and Odisha. These three locations created their ikkat weaving technique over time, each with its design and dyeing and use of yarn.
Telia Rumaal
The Telia Rumal from Andhra Pradesh is one of the most unusual of all Indian ikat weaving forms. The yarn is tie-dyed and treated with a specific oil to give the fabric a distinctive sheen. In most cases, this is a double ikat, which means that both the warp and weft threads are dyed with designs. The threads are then weaved after being dipped in castor ash and oil. The motifs are predominantly geometrical, with huge, well-defined diamonds, hexagons, and squares serving as the design foundation.
Pochampally
When opposed to the elaborate, somewhat more popular Pochampally Ikats from the same location, Telia Rumaal motifs are frequently larger and sharper. These more hazy, highly coveted ikats are quite popular and well-liked. Sarees made of silk, cotton, and silk-cotton Pochampally ikat fabrics are in high demand. As both the warp and weft threads are tied and dyed, they take a long time to make.
Puttapaka
The base of these uncommon saris is the tie and dye process used to create a distinctive ikkat in the Nalgonda area of Telangana, specifically in the village of Puttapaka. This is a single ikat, however, unlike other popular styles, it is done on the fabric's warp thread. Although the designs are simple, the ikat's symmetry is amazing.
Sambalpuri Ikkat
Other types of warp ikat patterns are primarily made in Odisha in India. Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur and Boudh are the areas in Odisha, where this form of ikat is woven. In Odisha, it is also called bandha. The yarns used are fine, and the designs often have animal motifs and curvilinear patterns. In this form, the tie-dyed yarns are first arranged in the loom in a design, and then the solid coloured weft yarns are put in. This form of ikat is very old and is used in Indonesia as well to create their ikat fabrics.
Ikat has been used in a variety of things for centuries, including clothes, burial shrouds, and wall hangings, and the results are still the same today. Aside from clothing, Ikat is also used to produce beautiful home décors, such as bed sheets, cushion coverings, and rugs. It's also very popular on accessories like handbags and jewellery.
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