How is ikat made?

Ikat means to tie or to bind, and it is a generic term to describe the textile made by tie-dying and weaving silk and cotton threads. In Uzbekistan the technique is called abrbandi, and it means to bind clouds. The process to make ikat consists of 37 steps, and it involves around 25 artisans who are specialised in different portions of the process. 

Here I summarise the fundamental steps of the process:

First of all, cotton or silk warp threads are meticulous marked and tied according to a pre-set pattern.

An artisan in Margilan, Uzbekistan, marking and tying bundles of silk and cotton threads according to pre-defined patterns. Each bundles contains 3,000 silk threads.

Credits: Francesca Stocco, founder at Filanda n.18

Then sections of the bundles are dyed according to the marking. If the ikat design has many colours, the threads are tied and dyed several times.

Artisan in Margilan, dyeing the bundled threads.According to the number of colours in the design, the process of tying and dyeing can be repeated up to seven times.

Credits: Muhayo Aliyeva

The threads are then left to dry.

Credits: Francesca Stocco, founder at Filanda n.18

The threads are then unbundled and cautiously separated.

Unbundled threads

Credits:Muhayo Alyieva

The threads are separated one by one

Credits: Muhayo Alyieva

Lastly, the threads are woven together on a four or six-shaft treadle loom. Much of the ikat weaving is done by women in private homes. Generally it takes a week to weave around 60 meters of ikat fabrics that are only 40cm high. Some ikats go through the process of calendaring, a system of heated roller on the fabric, that gives the fabric a subtle shimmering effect.

Artisan in Margilan weaving the ikat fabric on a handloom.

Credits: Francesca Stocco, founder at Filanda n.18