IKAT workshop
The word “ikat” is derived from the Malay or Indonesian “mengikat”, which means “to bind, to wrap”. Ikat fabrics are not only traditionally produced in Indonesia, where ikats were originally used as ceremonial textiles, but also in Central Asia, Africa, Central and South America.
Ikat is a traditional reserve and weaving technique in which the yarns are partially dyed in different colors before weaving. The partial dyeing is achieved by tying off certain areas of the yarn bundles that are not to be dyed and by retying and overdyeing areas that have already been dyed. In this way, complex patterns can be introduced into both the warp and weft yarns and executed as warp, weft or double ikat. The shimmering color transitions at the setting borders are a special feature of this technique and are what make it so attractive.
During the two-day intensive course, we will learn the reserve technique of ikat. At the beginning, bundles of weft yarns are repeatedly bound and dyed. These yarns can then be freely combined or woven with existing ikat yarns and in different weaves to create weft ikats.
Course instructor:
Katharina Stark born 1976, lives and works in Magdeburg and Halle/Saale, 1996 – 1997 studied textile design and from 1999 – 2004 painting/textile arts at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, diploma in fine arts, freelance since 2004, since 2006 workshop manager of the painting/textile arts department at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle and from 2009 – 2021 lecturer in digital jacquard weaving at the same university.