What is ikat fabric?

Clothing by Susan McCauley      

The word “ikat” means “to bind.” It is a very ancient way of creating designs in fabric by resist-dyeing the threads before the fabric is woven. In Thailand, villagers take the weft (crosswise filling threads) and tie tiny bits of plastic onto the threads. The tightly tied areas of thread, when put into the dye pot, resist the color and create a pattern, once the plastic ties are removed. Traditional Thai ikat cottons are often indigo-dyed in lively and engaging motifs representing the village life and beliefs of the people. Modern Thai ikats in cotton and silk are brightly colored with good imported chemical or natural dyes. Visit our About Us section and click on the photos to see the ikat process.

How does the ikat fabric differ from other fabric?
Ikat fabrics are woven by hand on narrow looms in a labor-intensive process. Thai ikats are generally 34” to 39” wide. Handwovens, free of the chemical additives and stresses of power-loom production, are vastly different in appearance and feel from machine-made fabrics.

Plainweave ikat fabrics, due to the unique resist patterning, look the same on both sides of the fabric; there is no right side and wrong side to the cloth. The Thai ikats typically have 2” to 3” solid borders along each selvage. Many designers make use of these special qualities.

Because handwovens tend to ravel when washed, plan to finish your seam allowances with an overlock or zigzag stitch, bind your seam allowances, or do French or felled seams. My friend Jane zigzags all her edges after cutting to keep things neat.

Click here to return to Fabric & Specials page