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
The Alchemy of Indigo
September 7, 2012 by 1 Comment
The smell wafts up from the handwoven, indigo-dyed cotton cloth as I’m ironing it. It’s an unmistakable odor—a little sweet, a little pungent. If you’ve dyed with indigo, you know this smell and you understand the magical, transformative process of … Read the rest
Ikat Maestros: Indonesian Textile Artisans
June 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
“I remembered what my father always said: ‘Never leave the land of your great grandfathers, and develop it for a good cause,” Alfonsa Horeng recalls. “That local wisdom was what convinced me to leave my career in the big … Read the rest
No Dry Cleaning Needed: Here’s How to Wash Handwoven Cloth
April 19, 2012 by 3 Comments
“Is it necessary to dry clean handwoven cloth?” “Is special detergent necessary?” These are very common “care” questions we are asked about our cloth and products. After I wrote my blog on the Indian handwoven and naturally dyed silk fabric… Read the rest
Meet the Maker of the Indian Handwoven Silk Cloth
April 6, 2012 by 4 Comments
Sometimes one is lucky enough to meet the maker—I’m talking artisan-made cloth here.
I’m in an elevator in corn country Nebraska in steps an exuberant woman wearing the almost exact replica of a handwoven, naturally dyed silk scarf that I … Read the rest
Ikat Weaving in Laos
March 30, 2012 by 5 Comments
I fell apart weaving in Laos. It really didn’t matter that I’d been weaving more than half my life. When it came to weaving weft ikat in fine silk (50 ends per inch) in the humid heat of Luang Prabang, … Read the rest
Hmong Batik Indigo Cloth
February 1, 2012 by 2 Comments
The smell of hot wax rises from the grass-covered hut every morning. A petite elderly woman, dressed in a traditional sarong, walks slowly down the stone-covered path, the Mekong river her backdrop. She carries a roll of hemp cloth, and … Read the rest
What is Ikat Central Asian Style?
December 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
There are many theories about how ikat came to Central Asia. Some claim the technique existed as far back as the 10th and 11th century but most sources attribute it to the 18thc. The largest center … Read the rest
Pitumarca Spindle Bags
September 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Drive an hour or so south from Cusco, then head left up a steep dirt road with countless switchbacks, and eventually you come to the village of Pitumarca. The weaving center here, Centro de Tejedores Munay Ticlla de Pitumarca, is … Read the rest
