The Alexandrite-Green Sambalpuri Handloom
Saree from Odisha weaves a spellbinding tale with its dark, captivating hues of
blue and black. This sari effortlessly transforms into an alluring drape,
combining simplicity with style. Its beauty lies in the understated elegance of
the handwoven patterns and the mesmerizing Ikat-woven pallu and border. Perfect
for any day, it's a stylish statement that embodies tradition and
craftsmanship, making every moment a celebration of culture.
Weaving a story: The Making of an Ikat Saree
Ikat textile is not an indigenous art that originated from India
but it is believed to have come from Indonesia and other countries
such as Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand. The word “Ikat” has come
from the Malaysian/Indonesian word Mengikat which refers to tying
a bundle of yarn or threads together. The weaving style of Ikat
sarees is special and unique. Although the motifs and patterns on
these sarees may look simpler, it involves a complex weaving
technique that gives a distinctive look to them. Ikat sarees are
much loved in India for they add grace and elegance to a woman's
overall beauty. The Ikat textile art has been practiced in India
for over a thousand years and in recent years or decades, it has
majorly developed in three states which are Andhra Pradesh,
Odisha, and Gujarat. Eventually, these regions evolved their own
style of designing and weaving Ikat sarees so much so that they
are in high demand even in the international fashion world.
The characteristic designs of Ikat sarees are little blurred,
multicolored and complex or complicated patterns, and the most
common motifs are squares, hearts, paisleys, hexagons, diamonds,
etc. The process of producing Ikat patterns requires hard labor
and is usually done by skilled and experienced artisans. The steps
involved in the process are as mentioned below:
1. Yarns are tied and dyed
Ikat patterns are developed by a special technique called the
resist dyeing method. In Ikat art, instead of producing designs
on fabric or the finished cloth, they are formed in yarn made of
either cotton or silk. In the first step, the yarns are tied in
a bundle and are wrapped or folded around a horizontal and/or
vertical axis. The bundle is covered with wax or some other
dye-resistant material with the desired pattern and the required
color is applied. This process (tying and dyeing) is repeated
several times until all the colors required are applied to
complete the design.
2. Yarns are spun
Now the dyed yarns are dried and spun using the winding machine.
Then the required length of yarn is cut off from the spinning
machine and is ready to be woven into fabric.
3. Weaving is done
Once the yarn is dyed, the threads are unbundled and wound onto
the loom as warp (longitudinal yarns) and weft (latitudinal
yarns). The yarns are aligned properly in a way that the exact
desired patterns and motifs are obtained. Thin bamboo strips are
lashed to the threads to avoid their tangling or slipping as the
loom is geared up to weave them. The designs that are formed out
of the dyed yarns appear blurred rather than clear or sharp and
this is the most important and main trait of Ikat sarees.
Since Ikat designs are created by directly dyeing the yarns
rather than the cloth, they are formed on both sides and hence
there is no need of giving a special finish to the saree. Ikat
sarees come in many varieties of designs and patterns. Simple
patterned sarees may take between 20 to 30 days to complete
while the process may even go on for months to produce a
detailed saree. Ikat sarees remain one of the most sought-after
sarees among Indian women and their love for these is only
increasing day by day.
