Posts Tagged ‘Naturally-dyed’
Jun 25
100% Natural Anjat Basket: Hand Woven Rattan with Natural Dyes
Without fail, the most common asked question to an artisan or maker, is “How long did it take you to make that?” In the case of this Anjat basket which is handwoven and naturally-dyed from the bast fiber rattan, the answer would depend on whether it includes the growing and→ Read more
Mar 06
Going Green with Natural Dyes and Shibori
Jacquard woven shibori, naturally dyed with indigo, weld and chlorophyl.→ Read more
Sep 12
Scarf of the Month: Naturally Dyed Weft Ikat from Laos
In last week’s blog, I introduced you to the various types of ikat. Admittedly, ikat has intrigued me since college when, without really understanding its complexity, I registered for an independent study in ikat. Without any direction, other than a few books available at the time, I figured out a→ Read more
Sep 05
Fooled by Ikat
“Fool me once” or “I am a fool for ikat”. Both statements about me are true. In April, I was in Ecuador searching for some traditional ikat. This particular day, we were in the region where traditional ikat was still being woven; we just hadn’t seen the real deal yet→ Read more
Aug 15
Scarf of the Month: Wild Silk Lace from Madagascar
I stood staring at this handwoven, handspun wild silk scarf made by artisans in Madagascar. If anyone was watching me, they probably thought something was wrong with the scarf, or me. But not having time to really figure out what was different about this weaving, I bought a few of these→ Read more
May 23
Cochineal: The Royal Red of Natural Dyes
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 on cacti, primarily in the Oaxaca area of Mexico and between the→ Read more
May 09
ClothRoads Scarf of the Month: Traveling Blocks in Weaving
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 closer look to decipher how a weaver uses a traditional→ Read more
May 24
Wild Silk Creates a Strong Bond
“While one silk thread is strong, many woven together are stronger.” This is a fomba, or proverb, uniting the many people involved in the production of exquisite wild silk, handwoven products from the island nation of Madagascar, located off the coast of Africa.→ Read more
