CRAZY FOR IKAT: PART 1

Ikat is something you hear a lot about on Design Blogs. I think most designers have a fascination with them, as they are exotic and vary widely. Barbara and I love using Ikat textiles in our designs, as it provides a chance to infuse alternate colors into a palette, while also giving interiors a “travelled” look.

We will be referring back to Ikat again and again, so this is the first post in the beginning of many honoring the celebrated textile in all its glory.

I thought it made sense to begin talking about Ikat by giving the proper definition. This is taken from http://dictionary.reference.com/ :

i-kat - [ee-kaht]

1. A method of printing woven fabric by tie-dyeing the warp yarns (warp ikat), the weft yarns (weft ikat), or both (double ikat) before weaving.

2. A fabric made by this method.

When I was in London recently I went to an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum, specifically to view their exhibit on Ikat. The V&A is known globally for their extensive collection of textiles and fashion. Below are some of the photos I took at the exhibit. I found most of the pieces were from 1850 or thereabouts and most all were from Kazakhstan. The thing I find amazing about these pieces in particular is how contemporary the colors feel. The color combinations offer up much inspiration for design of any kind.

Until we talk about Ikat next….

David Hansen