For all those who have been wearing Ikat
dresses must be
aware of the fact that how distinct and in demand this fabric is. Ikat is
basically a dyeing technique. This technique is the most ancient way of dying
the fabric. It is called resist dyeing and is majorly used on cotton and silk
fabric. Unlike other tie and dye techniques, in Ikat, the yarns are first tied
together and then dyed as many times as required to get the desired pattern on
them.
When a final fabric is ready, you see apparent
blurriness on them; it is a salient characteristic of Ikat fabric. The
blurriness is the result of the difficulty a weaver's faces while weaving the
yarns together to make a cloth. Indeed, Ikat is an elaborate dying process. It
is not a print on fabric, nor a fabric weaved out of different colored or
complexed yarn, but, it is formed by dying warp and weft before weaving it. The
fine the Ikat
fabric is the less
blurriness is. Such fabrics come expensive because of intensive craftsmanship
and time required.
Orissa Ikat is regarded as the best and is famous all
around. If you believe, it is said that Orissa ikat dates back to the 12th century, implying that it has
reached its pinnacle of perfection now. Orissa Ikat is not just seen on sarees
but is also there on handbags, home décor items, upholstery, and footwear. In
India, there are three states where Ikat is practiced prevalently, Andhra
Pradesh, Gujarat, and Orissa. Other countries where Ikat fabrics are made are
Japan, Indonesia, and other South-East Asian countries. It is interesting to
note here that how a craft with its origins in the small village of India has
crossed borders and now coming up as more beautiful and brighter with varied
color choices.
Wearing Ikat is indeed a matter of grace. Also, if you
purchase Indian Ikat
fabric, you are definitely promoting the Indian craft as well as
helping the unrecognized and underpaid artisans. You will be surprised to know
that if Orissa Ikat sarees are dyed and woven by hand than the time required
for this entire process is up to 7 months with two people fully devoted.
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