When you’re in the homeland of the traditional Ecuadorian ikat shawl, known as the macana, you must search it out–which is what I did on a recent trip. It quickly became my pick for the ClothRoads scarf of the month … Read the rest
The Making of African Kuba and Shoowa Raffia Cloth
June 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Reach out and touch. Isn’t that what we fiber folks do? We see something and our hands immediately reach out for the feel. That’s how I met artisan Emmanuel Kasongo. Well, okay–I met his handwoven raffia cloth first. Let me … Read the rest
Cochineal: The Royal Red of Natural Dyes
May 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
What do the British Redcoats, Cardinal Red, Incan ‘blood’ Red have in common? All of these “royal” red cloths obtain their natural-dye colorant from the small insect cochineal (Dactylopius coccus)—its size about a grain of Arborio rice. Living … Read the rest
From the Indigo Vat to Woven Cloth in Laos
May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Why is it every time I think of an indigo vat, the lyrics “Can’t you smell that smell?” pop out of my mouth? Assuredly, Lynyrd Skynyrd was not referring to indigo in his song. But here I was at the … Read the rest
ClothRoads Scarf of the Month: Traveling Blocks in Weaving
May 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
What better combination is there than naturally-dyed silk and a simple weaving structure? If you’ve been following my ClothRoads scarf of the month, you’ve probably noticed a trend—I like simple, yet intriguing, hand woven structures. Ones that beg for a … Read the rest
Kala Raksha, 20 Years Preserving Traditional Art and Empowering Artisans
April 25, 2013 by 7 Comments
Call it comforting, enriching and soul-satisfying. That’s what it felt like upon entering Kala Raksha, an Indian handcraft artisan center in Kutch, Gujarat. Hearing the chatter and laughter of the women as they sat in a circle stitching, listening to … Read the rest
Weaving On the Edge in the Peruvian Highlands
April 18, 2013 by 4 Comments
Breathless. That’s what I was after dancing at 13,000 feet in the highland weaving village of Sallac, Peru. How could I refuse the outstretched, gnarled hand of an elder, who smiled and gestured that I too should join in the … Read the rest
ClothRoads Scarf of the Month: Bandhani, an Indian Tie Dye Resist
April 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
There’s sensuousness to reading a cloth, taking one’s fingers and lightly passing over the surface, like braille. To me, Indian bandhani is the braille of all artisan-made cloth resists; this is why I chose it as the ClothRoads scarf this … Read the rest
Discovering Handmade Textile Treasures: Ajrakh Block Printing and Natural Dyeing
March 30, 2013 by 2 Comments
In this dry, desert Gujurat-region of India, the starkness of the landscape was a marked contrast to the vividness of the naturally-dyed cloth, the edges weighed down by rocks, drying in patches on the ground. A stones throw away, the … Read the rest
All by Hand: Block Printing Cloth at Anokhi
March 21, 2013 by 1 Comment
It was an exquisite day for a journey to the centuries-old, preeminent region of woodblock makers and printers–blue skies, clear air, rich vegetation surrounding us as our van climbed up the switch-backed road outside Jaipur, India. Lake Sagar below was … Read the rest
