Ikat got your tongue.....

Speaking of cats....this is one of a different breed. This ikat, or ikkat motif is a method of weaving that uses resist dyeing (similar to tie-dyeing). I recently purchased an Ikat-like dress from the Republic and decided to do some Ma-research.

This fabric sample is another current Ikat design available from Kelly Wearstler. Most Ikats today are woven material that has been pre-printed with a design as compared to the traditional dyeing techniques.

The meaning of Ikat is "to bind" relating to binding the color/cloth. In Central and South America, Ikat is still common in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico. In the 19th century, areas of Uzbekistan and Central America were famous for their fine silk Uzbek Ikat. India, Japan and several South-East Asian countries have cultures with long histories of Ikat production. Double Ikats can still be found in India, Guatemala, Japan and the Indonesian islands of Bali and Kalimantan.

Like any craft or art form, ikats vary significantly from country to country and region to region. Designs may have some symbolic meaning or may have been developed for export trade, and were often symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige. *Wiki