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Laotian Weft Ikat
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Photo of dyer, Ms. Thong with the weft ikat coil for a double skirt length. This dyed coil of thread was purchased at Convergence in Reno - 2018.
Photo of dyer, Ms. Thong with the weft ikat coil for a double skirt length. This dyed coil of thread was purchased at Convergence in Reno - 2018.
Finished skirt. Sewn from traditional directions for a sing. Skirt is closed tube with front fold. Darts shape top for waist and hips. Fabric for waistband and hem facing are same warp with MY hand spun cotton.
Finished skirt. Sewn from traditional directions for a sing. Skirt is closed tube with front fold. Darts shape top for waist and hips. Fabric for waistband and hem facing are same warp with MY hand spun cotton.
Toika dobby loom with blue warp ready to receive the weft ikat. Width is estimated - if too wide, some threads will be case off at the sides. 30/2 blue unmercerized cotton, 40 epi.
Toika dobby loom with blue warp ready to receive the weft ikat. Width is estimated - if too wide, some threads will be case off at the sides. 30/2 blue unmercerized cotton, 40 epi.
The Weft ikat on a frame for unwinding. The ties from dying are still attached.
The Weft ikat on a frame for unwinding. The ties from dying are still attached.
The ikat weft partially untied. It is a challenge to cut close to the knotted tape without damaging the cotton thread.
The ikat weft partially untied. It is a challenge to cut close to the knotted tape without damaging the cotton thread.
Closeup of the handspun cotton used in this amazing dyed weft chain.
Closeup of the handspun cotton used in this amazing dyed weft chain.
The weft thread runs up and down through 25 coils of dyed thread in sequence. First some of the weft is carefully pulled off the frame, then gently wound onto the skeiner shown in photo.
The weft thread runs up and down through 25 coils of dyed thread in sequence. First some of the weft is carefully pulled off the frame, then gently wound onto the skeiner shown in photo.
Nearing completion - there is more thread on the skeiner than left on the frame.
Nearing completion - there is more thread on the skeiner than left on the frame.
The completed large skein. This will form the set of quills used for weaving - in the correct sequence.
The completed large skein. This will form the set of quills used for weaving - in the correct sequence.
At the beginning, I started from one end and ran into a bad break where I could not locate the continuation, so I started over from the other end. After winding for several days, I was able to have the entire weft in sequence but for these few threads.
At the beginning, I started from one end and ran into a bad break where I could not locate the continuation, so I started over from the other end. After winding for several days, I was able to have the entire weft in sequence but for these few threads.
Winding the weft quills for weaving. The ikat coil was wound front to back on the skeiner. Now the quills are wound from the "back" to the front meaning that the last quill will be where the weaving commences.
Winding the weft quills for weaving. The ikat coil was wound front to back on the skeiner. Now the quills are wound from the "back" to the front meaning that the last quill will be where the weaving commences.
The weft quills are put on a thread (large knot and washer at the end) in sequence - last to first. At the end of the day there are nearly 50 quills. There were no accidental breaks while performing this step.
The weft quills are put on a thread (large knot and washer at the end) in sequence - last to first. At the end of the day there are nearly 50 quills. There were no accidental breaks while performing this step.
Pattern begins to emerge. 1/27/19
Pattern begins to emerge. 1/27/19
Detail 1/27/19
Detail 1/27/19
1-27=19
1-27=19
Detail 2-04-19 As the fabric grows, so does the accuracy of the pattern. It is now easier to decide when the weft should change direction of shift from left to right.
Detail 2-04-19 As the fabric grows, so does the accuracy of the pattern. It is now easier to decide when the weft should change direction of shift from left to right.
Detail 2-04-19
Detail 2-04-19
Fabric under the loom and on the cloth beam. Past halfway. 2-04-19.
Fabric under the loom and on the cloth beam. Past halfway. 2-04-19.
2-13-19 Finished fabric cut off loom. 3.5 meters total. Wrap Skirt pattern is on order.
2-13-19 Finished fabric cut off loom. 3.5 meters total. Wrap Skirt pattern is on order.
2-13-19 Detail of top selvedge (the good one) showing how well the pattern lined up across the width.
2-13-19 Detail of top selvedge (the good one) showing how well the pattern lined up across the width.
2-13-19 Detail illustrating fabric structure - rather weft faced to show off the resist areas. Hand of fabric is similar to what I saw in Reno.
2-13-19 Detail illustrating fabric structure - rather weft faced to show off the resist areas. Hand of fabric is similar to what I saw in Reno.
Finished skirt at the e-spinner. Very comfortable to wear.
Finished skirt at the e-spinner. Very comfortable to wear.
photos above © FLAXFAN
Finished
November 2018
July 2019

Laotian Weft Ikat

Project info
original
plain weave with ikat weft adjusted to produce pattern
Weaving
Tools and equipment
Yarn
40 epi
30/2 Swedish cotton
dark blue
Vävstuga Weaving School in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts
Pre-dyed weft Ikat for skirt Fabric
Convergence - Hill Tribe Textiles
Notes

01-19-2019

This project is a giant puzzle. At Convergence 2018 in Reno, Maren from Above the Fray had a pre-dyed Ikat warp from Laos that was sized to make a double skirt length (I’m larger than a single one) to sell. It consisted of a mass of handspun, indigo dyed ikat taped cotton. Attached was a photo of the dyer, Ms. Thong smiling with her handwork.
There is no indication of the pattern embedded in this mass of yarn. The structure will be plain weave.
The first steps are to untie the Ikat tape holding the undyed yarn and to unwind the yarn in sequence into a giant skein. Unfamiliar with both the yarn and sequencing of such a setup (25 coils of different dye patterns connected in a sequence to produce the as yet undisclosed pattern) there was a bit of breakage at the beginning. After finding the other end of the yarn, unwinding proceeded without major issues until the last few rounds shown in the photo. Those few ends will be carefully wound on tiny bobbins and saved as they will be among the last rows woven.
Now the task of winding the large skein onto sequential quills and keeping them in weaving order before I can test the width and pattern repeat on the loom.

01-22-2019

Winding sequential quills went smoothly. The quills were put on a thick cord with a washer at the bottom to keep them from slipping off. The last quills wound will be the first woven.

01-27-2019

Weaving
Fortunately the warp width of 30” is perfect. There is a little extra in the weft width to form small loops at the edges to compensate for slight shifts in the pattern. Sett is fine for a slightly weft faced effect that lets the ikat dying shine through.

After a reasonable start, there was a snag. When winding the skein there were about 3 places where the thread seemed to be out of sequence. When the first was encountered, the pattern took a 180 degree turn being just the opposite of what was woven first. After ripping out nearly 3 inches, a small piece of cotton fabric woven with doubled warp thread was inserted as a “seam allowance” to allow the first section to be seamed into the rest of the fabric. Photos of first pattern repeats following this break are those from 1/27/19.

02-14-2019

Fabric now finished and cut from loom. 3.5 meters of cloth. I’ve ordered a wrap skirt pattern with minimal cutting/shaping that will fit my size and shape. There will definitely be cloth remaining. I plan to spin some indigo dyed cotton roving into some auxiliary fabric to use as hem and waist facings for the skirt.
This has been a fascinating exercise in patience and gentle handling of threads.
The handspun cotton was quite robust and just proceeding slowly and carefully was the best method.
The selvedge that will be the top of the skirt is quite even and the extra yarn is in loops on the hem edge. The pattern stayed centered on the cloth right to the end of the project.
I now have ikat tape on order from Maiwa in Canada and plan to do some ikat dyeing for simpler projects when the snow melts.

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Finished
November 2018
July 2019
 
  • Project created: January 19, 2019
  • Updated: July 25, 2019