Ikat: finishing touches

The fabrics gets its texture and sheen.

" After the ikat is woven, it must be given its finish. Traditionally, this was done by a craftsman who literally hammered the fabric against the round end of a metal bowl with a wooden mallet, giving it a certain sheen".

Nowadays, this is accomplished using an immense drum press, much like what our grandmothers would have called a "mangle". The metal drum measures about 2 feet in diameter and is a relic of Soviet era technology.

The fabric is fed into one end of the press and by using extreme pressure and heat, the ikat emerges pressed and slightly glossy with a "moire" pattern on one side. This is also the step in the process that has been the bane of our existence since it is very common to have weeks of work destroyed by sloppy pressing (thus the term mangle?).

But when done well, with minimum creases and folds and with the correct amount of "size" or starch water, the process comes to its glorious conclusion.

https://vimeo.com/257908019

"...nothing short of a miracle..."

The ikat fabric is carefully folded and shipped to us by air, approximately 2 months after the initial order was placed.

Considering all of the steps involved and the relatively primitive machinery used, the resulting fabric is nothing short of a miracle.

#ikat #handwoven #naturaldye #textile #pattern #berminghamfabrics