Inspired.talk

Ask Alice - What is Batik?

Barclay Butera for Kravet Collections

Today, our homes are influenced by many styles from around the world. Ethnically inspired designs such as ikats and suzanis have been mixed into our home decor as well as our wardrobes for years.  It has become the norm to incorporate globally influenced designs into our everyday life. In this article I would like to familiarize everyone with the art of Batik.

Pronounced 'bah-teak,’ the name is derived from the word 'ambatik' which means a cloth with little dots. The suffix 'tik' describes a resist process for dyeing the fabric. Samples of dye resistance patterns on cloth can be traced back 1500 years to Egypt and the Middle East. Many believe it was brought to Asia by travelers from the Indian subcontinent. It has been said the art form reached its height on the island of Java in Indonesia.

Ralph Lauren's Antibes Batik in Blanc and Charcoal, available through Kravet 

Batik is the official fabric of Indonesia. Traditional Batik was used as a sarong for the Kebaya dress, which is a traditional blouse dress that originated in Indonesia. Infants are carried in Batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring luck to the child. Certain designs are reserved for brides and grooms as well as their families. Other designs are reserved for the Sultan, his family and their attendants. It is said a person’s rank could be determined by the pattern they wore.  For special occasions traditional batik was decorated with gold leaf or gold dust, which is known as Prada, the Javanese word for gold.

So what exactly is resist dyeing? The term refers to a method of dyeing textiles using wax to prevent the dye from reaching all the cloth, thereby creating a pattern. There are various methods used to apply liquid wax, include pouring the liquid wax, painting the wax with a brush and applying the wax to a pre-carved wooden or metal wire block and stamping the fabric. The wax is applied to the areas of the design where the artisan does not want the dye to take. This prevents or resists the dye from penetrating the fabric, leaving the waxed area the original color of the cloth which is usually white or cream.  

Ralph Lauren's Avignon Batik in Porcelain and Sepia, available through Kravet

After the initial wax has been applied, the fabric is ready for the dye bath. The final hue depends on how long the cloth is dipped or soaked in the dye bath. The longer it is immersed in the dye bath, the darker the color. Once the desired hue is achieved, the fabric is put into a cold bath to harden the wax. When the area is dry, the wax is then scrapped away with a small knife. The number of colors in the design represents how many times it has been soaked and how many times the wax has been applied and removed. The level of craftsmanship is evident when the pattern is equally visible on both sides of the cloth, which indicates that the wax has been applied to both sides. Traditionally there are two categories of batik design: geometric and flora/fauna. Today, batik designs are emulated as a woven or as a printed fabric to bring this unique look to everyone.

It is always a thrill for me to research and answer your questions because I not only have the pleasure of explaining the world of textiles but I also have the opportunity to learn along with you all. So please...keep the questions coming.  

Alice Guercio, Vice President of Product Coordination and a Kravet veteran for 20 years, travels the world to source and develop new product for Kravet. She is one of our top experts on textiles. If you have a question about fabric for Alice, email her at [email protected] and your question may become the subject of a future article.

 

Ask Alice: How is Linen Yarn Created?

 

Around this time last year, I wrote about the history of linen, and I received many emails asking how the flax plant is actually made into fabric. Because of your interest and questions, I have decided to follow up with more information about linen. In addition to the information provided below, please take a look at the accompanying video, which provides more in-depth visual information about the process.

Kravet Perfect Plains

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, “Linum usitatissimum,” which is the Latin botanical name of the plant. Flax blooms in groups of bluish, navy blue, and occasionally in violet, rosy and white flowers. Each flower blooms for only a few hours. It opens up at dawn and closes and falls off at around noon when the heat sets in. The flax plant is not difficult to grow but it flourishes best in cool, humid climates and within moist, well plowed soil. Flax can only be grown on the same field twice before signs of “flax fatigue” begin to show. It will be another seven years before flax can be cultivated again on the same field.

The quality of the finished linen product is dependent on the growing conditions and harvesting techniques. Linen yarn is spun from the long fibers behind the bark of the plant stem. These fibers vary in length from 2 to 36 inches. The process of separating the flax fibers from the plant is a labor intensive and painstaking process. In order to retrieve the fibers from the plant, the woody stem and the pectin, or gum, which bonds the fibers together in a clump must be rotted away. To produce the longest possible fibers, flax is either hand-harvested by pulling up the entire plant or stalks are cut very close to the root.

After harvesting, the seeds are removed through a mechanized process called “rippling.” The fibers must then be loosened from the stalk. This is achieved through retting. This process uses bacteria to decompose the pectin that binds the fibers together. Natural retting methods take place in tanks and pools or directly in the fields. There are chemical retting methods that are faster but more harmful to the environment and to the fibers themselves. After retting, the stalks are ready for scutching. This process removes the woody portion of the stalks by crushing them between two metal rollers, so the different parts of the stalk can be separated. The fibers are set aside for other uses.

The short fibers are then separated by hackling or combing them away to leave behind the long, soft flax fibers. After the fibers have been separated and processed, they are typically spun into yarns and woven or knit into textiles. Linen’s natural off white color ranges between shades of ivory, ecru, tan and grey. Pure white linen is created by heavy bleaching.

It amazes me that thousands of years ago someone had the idea to take something from nature’s beauty growing in the fields, break it down and then weave it into one of the most luxurious fabrics that to this day remains in demand for homes all over the world.

Suzanne Rheinstein for Lee Jofa

Thom Filicia for Kravet

Alexa Hampton for Kravet

Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa

Kravet Modern Colors

Brunschwig & Fils

Alice Guercio, Vice President of Product Coordination and a Kravet veteran for more than 15 years, travels the world to source and develop new product for Kravet. She is one of our top experts on textiles. If you have a question about fabric for Alice, email her at [email protected] and your question may become the subject of a future article.

*This article is modified from the original, which originally appeared in the summer 2011 issue of inspired.news.

Ask Alice: How is Ikat Fabric Made?

A few years ago, the centuries-old weaving technique called ikat enjoyed a resurgence, and everyone called it a trend. Now, with several years of hindsight we can definitely say ikat is here to stay.  But what separates this ethnic design from the rest? We’re glad you asked. Here, Kravet’s own Alice Guercio tells us how ikats are made, and we’ve put together this video showing the process in action. Let us know what you think in the comments.

-JP

 

One of the most popular trends in interior design today is ikat. The word ikat comes from the Malaysian word ‘mengikat’ or to tie, bind or wrap around. The proper pronunciation of the word has long been debated; however, the correct way to pronounce is ‘ee-kaht’ not ‘eye-cat.’ This ancient style of weaving uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye where the warp and/or the weft yarns are dyed before the fabric is woven on the loom. The result of this process is a motif which is “blurred” in appearance. This ‘cloudy’ look comes from the slight bleeding of the dyes into the resist areas.

Bansuri, a popular ikat from Echo Design, shown here in multiple colorways. Available through Kravet.

Ikat is a universal weaving style common to many world cultures and is likely to be one of the oldest forms of textile decorations now. It is extremely difficult to determine where the technique originated. It probably developed in several different locations independently. For instance, during the 19th century, the Silk Road deserts of Bukhara and Samarkand were famous for their fine silk Uzbek Ikat. India, Japan and many South-East nations such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand have weaving cultures with long histories of ikat production. In addition, these designs were also common in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico.

Thom Filicia for Kravet room setting, featuring his signature Prospect ikat. Available through Kravet.

The ikat design is created by tying areas of the threads into bundles using grasses, wax or even plastic to prevent penetration of the dye. What this means is the weaver needs to figure out where on the loose threads the dye should go in order for it to form the proper pattern when it is woven. For more exact patterning, a weaver will typically use warp ikats, where they can see the pattern on the loom. With a weft ikat, the pattern is less exact because the design is not visible until it is already woven. The most difficult is the double ikat. This is when both the warp and weft are dyed to create the pattern. This form of weaving requires the most skill for precise patterns to be woven and it is considered to be the highest form of ikat. As you add colors, the process becomes more complicated.

Westmount Wall ikat from David Easton, available through Lee Jofa.

Many design motifs may have ethnic, ritual or symbolic meaning. Traditionally, ikats are symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige. Today, ikat has become a generic word used to describe the process, the cloth itself and the type of motif that is created as a result.

Oscar de la Renta's Kublai Kahn ikat (on pillow), available at Lee Jofa.

Alice Guercio, Vice President of Product Coordination and a Kravet veteran for more than 15 years, travels the world to source and develop new product for Kravet. She is one of our top experts on textiles. If you have a question about fabric for Alice, email her at [email protected] and your question may become the subject of a future article.

 

Ask Alice – The History of Lace

When I woke up at 4 a.m. to watch the Royal Wedding last spring, I was happy for a lot of reasons. But in the moment, I remember feeling most grateful for my oversize, high-definition television. When Kate Middleton stepped out of that car and the camera locked onto her dress, I hit pause and locked my eyes to the screen. The draping, the pleating. It was perfect. In the months that followed, lace began a comeback for the ages. For Ask Alice, Alice Guercio’s bimonthly column for inspired.news, she explores the history of lace, providing context for a beautiful textile steeped in history. As always, we love to read your comments, so let us know what you think!

-JP

Ask Alice - The History of Lace

The marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, has brought lace back into the minds of fashion designers as well as interior designers. Kate’s exquisite wedding gown, designed by Alexander McQueen’s protégée and successor Sarah Burton, featured intricate lace appliqué on the bodice and sleeves. I am intrigued by the sudden interest of lace, and so I decided to dedicate this column to the history of lace.

The birthplaces of lace-making are generally recognized as Flanders and Italy. Although no documentary evidence exists to suggest that lace was made before the 15th century, ancient Egyptian nets with embroidered patterns have been found dating back 1,000 years.

Lace is an ornamental textile formed without the aid of a ground fabric. It is an open work twisted together and sometimes knotted to form a pattern. It is made by hand with bobbins and pins (bobbin lace), with needles (needlepoint lace or point lace), with hooks (tatting) or by machinery. A true lace is created when a thread is looped, twisted or braided to other threads independently from a backing fabric. Originally, lace was made of linen, silk, cotton or metallic threads of gold, silver and copper, and even human hair.

At the time of its origin, lace was one of the greatest extravagances. All lace was handmade and extremely expensive. Social status could be determined by the quality and complexity of lace that was worn. In some regions only people above a certain rank were allowed to wear lace and then only of a certain width according to their status. Inspectors were positioned at city gates and if someone of a low rank tried to enter the city wearing lace which was considered to be too rich for them, their lace was either trimmed down with scissors or burned. Lace was also used by clergy of the early Catholic Church as part of vestments in religious ceremonies.

However, lace was more than just a lavish and highly coveted luxury, afforded only to the privileged. It was also a product of an industry that provided a living to thousands of workers and formed a huge portion of the revenue for many nations throughout Europe.

Colbert, the Minister of Finance for King Louis XIV of France, was so disturbed by the amount of money being spent to import lace that he began to encourage and develop the lace making industry at home. The French then persuaded the best lace makers from Italy and Belgium to settle in France and set up schools in the areas of Alencon, Arras and Sedan to teach the peasants the art of lace making. And so the development of French Lace began.

The lace that is influencing our fashion and interior choices today is anything but old fashioned. The craft continues to evolve and inspire.

Alice Guercio, Vice President of Product Coordination and a Kravet veteran for more than 15 years, travels the world to source and develop new product for Kravet. She is one of our top experts on textiles. If you have a question about fabric for Alice, email her at [email protected] and your question may become the subject of a future article.

Ask Alice: The History of Linen

 

Linen has a long history dating back thousands of years. It is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Flax is one of the oldest agricultural plants in the world. In fact, the weaving of flax is as old as or older than written records. The earliest records of an established linen industry are 4,000 years old and come to us from Egypt. However; fragments of straw, seeds, fibers, yarn and various types of fabrics which date back to about 8,000 BC have been found in Swiss lake dwellings. Dyed flax fibers found in a prehistoric cave in Georgia suggest the use of woven linen fabrics from wild flax may date back even earlier to 36,000 BC.

Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity and as a display of wealth. In fact, linen was thought to have been used in ancient Egypt as currency. The history of linen is closely interwoven with the Bible stories and has always been held in reference as an emblem of purity. In ancient times, almost every country that stayed on the land grew flax and wove linen for its own use. It was the Phoenicians who introduced flax and the making of linen into Ireland before the birth of Christ. Today, flax is grown in many parts of the world, but top quality flax is primarily grown in Western Europe. Many believe that Belgium grows the finest quality flax fibers in the world, with Scottish and Irish linen not far behind. In recent years bulk linen production has moved to Eastern Europe and China.

Linen is a versatile fabric. Its strength and breathability has been used as both a utility and a luxury fabric in the home. Because the flax plant has a natural vegetable wax coating, it creates a subtle sheen and luster when woven. The plants fiber is naturally strong, soft and light and fabric made from these fibers are breathable and durable. It is naturally off-white in color, but linen absorbs dyes well and retains its color. Linen typically has a crisp and textural feel but it can range from stiff and rough to soft and smooth. The natural fibers of the flax make the woven textile slightly bumpy with a smooth finish. The better the quality of the linen the smoother the surface will be. In some cases, you will find knots or slubs running across the fabric. This is a characteristic of a lesser quality of linen and in many cases is the look the weaver was trying to achieve. The finest linens have a very consistent diameter and will not have slubs.

Linen has that subtle elegance that helps to achieve a clean tailored look for many of today’s modern interiors. The fact that when King Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened they found he had curtains made of linen hanging and they were still intact says a lot of the durability and history of linen. I have only scratched the surface of the wonderful history of linen and encourage you all to investigate this timeless fiber a little more.

Alice Guercio, Vice President of Product Coordination and a Kravet veteran for more than 15 years, travels the world to source and develop new product for Kravet. She is one of our top experts on textiles. If you have a question about fabric for Alice, email her at [email protected] and your question may become the subject of a future article.