Day one concluded with hanks of yarns washed, mordanted and dyed. The hanks were left to dry overnight and in the morning they were ready to be washed. Many participants were anxious and concerned when we described the washing process - wash and wash again until there is no colour in the water. When the wool is washed this way the colour remaining on the yarn should be washfast. The group had some experience with synthetic dyes which were less than satisfying. Often the result of a thorough wash was a pale, faded, dimly coloured yarn.
Water conservation is important, especially in Morocco. The recommended system is a series of pails. Instead of repeatedly emptying and refilling pails, they are set in a line. The first contains the initial wash and has the most unused colourant. The hanks are then transfered from pail to pail with the last being the cleanest. The pails are not emptied until all the yarns have been washed.
The yarns are now ready for the second step - overdyeing. It doesn't take long before the colours multiply and the initial set of tones becomes a rich, varied, and beautiful palette.
Rosemary Crill explores "the cotton road", sibling to the well known silk road but largely dominated by India's traffic in cotton textiles. This episode presents the first part of Rosemary's lecture in which she explores the historic origins of India's textile trade and details commerce with countries in the east. Recorded live at the Maiwa Textile Symposium 2007. This is a video podcast and it contains the images presented during the lecture.
Indian textiles were exported to the Middle East and the ancient Roman world centuries before Europeans arrived on the subcontinent. Painted cottons and ikat-dyed silks were also sent from the medieval period onwards to Southeast Asian markets, especially in Indonesia, where they were treated as precious heirlooms.
When the Portuguese arrived in India in the wake of Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India in 1498, they lost no time in sending embroideries back to Portugal. All of these export markets dealt in textiles that had been carefully adapted to the taste of the buyers, and when the British East India Company started to trade in India in 1600, the textiles they sent back for sale in London also developed a unique style which combined British, Indian, and even Chinese elements into an exotic hybrid. The arrival of painted cottons (chintzes) took Britain by storm in the early 17th century and continued to be so popular well into the 18th century that they were even banned because they were threatening the livelihood of local linen and wool weavers.
This lecture will outline the different markets to which India exported many different types of textiles and will concentrate particularly on the craze for chintz that swept Britain and the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries. Indian muslins and the fine Kashmir shawls that were worn with them were the next great fashion to be based on Indian imports to Europe, and their origins and eventual decline in the mid-19th century will also be discussed.
Rosemary Crill
Rosemary Crill joined the Victoria and Albert Museum’s then Indian Department in 1980 and is now Senior Curator (South Asia) in the Asian Department. She lectures worldwide, specializing in Indian and Islamic textiles and dress and in Indian painting.
Her publications include Indian Ikat Textiles (1997), Colours of the Indus: Costume & Textiles of Pakistan (with Nasreen Askari, 1997), Indian Embroidery (1999), Marwar Painting: A History of the Jodhpur Style (1999), and Trade, Temple and Court: Indian Textiles from the Tapi Collection (co-author with Ruth Barnes and Steven Cohen, 2002). She has contributed to many other books, periodicals, and catalogues, including The Indian Heritage (V&A, 1982), Arts of India 1550-1900 (V&A, 1990), The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms (V&A, 1999), and Dress in Detail from Around the World (V&A, 2002), and she has recently edited Textiles from India: The Global Trade (Kolkata, 2005) and The Making of the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art (2006).
On the first day we meet the students and give an overview of what we will be doing during the week. We are lucky to have the services of a skilled translator. The instructions are translated into Arabic and volunteers who work with more remote villages will translate the lessons again into the specific Berber dialects.
The group begins by separating the yarns into hanks. In this workshop we will focus on wool dyeing. The participants are interested in natural dyes for the Moroccan carpet industry.
In addition to the dyestuff we have brought from Canada, we have assembled local materials. If artisans can obtain local dye plants they are in a much better position than if the need to rely on imports. Here chopped madder root is used.
Here is dyebath is prepared from chamomile.
Pomegranate rinds are an excellent dye. When used in combination with other dyes they will increase the wash and lightfastness of the colour.
Henna is widely used throughout Morocco. It is one of the few natural dyes that is still used in a traditional way. The painted woolens of the Anti-Atlas Berbers often display talismanic figures on cream coloured wool.
Before we can launch into five solid days of natural dye training we need to know what kind of situation we're dealing with. For a dyer that means one thing above all others: what is the water quality? Water can be either acidic or basic. The pH of the water will shift reds either into blue-based reds (closer to purple) or into yellow-based reds (closer to browns).
Dyers also want to know if there are any impurities in the water that will influence the outcome. Iron is a common problem. Look around the landscape - are there red rocks? If so iron oxide may be in the water supply. Are you in a European town where all the local brick is red or pink? If so the red bricks were probably made locally and there may be iron in the water.
A simple pH test strip will give an indication of the hardness or softness of the water. A test batch of dye should give an indication of problematic impurities.
Here Charllotte Kwon washes and scours the wool during the afternoon before the workshop. At our location there were no major issues with the water and we knew what to expect the next day when students arrived.
In 2007 the Maiwa Foundation conducted a five-day natural-dye workshop. The students learned how to wash fibers and apply appropriate mordants for wools. They then created a range of colours from indigo, cochineal, madder, henna, cutch, chamomile and a number of local dyeplants. Students learned about light and washfastness, about water conservation, and about the importance of basic dye proceedures and safe use of materials.
Morocco is very well positioned to capitalize on a natural dye revival. It has a flourishing carpet industry. And, even though moroccan carpets do not enjoy the prestige given to Persian or Turkish works they are still a viable item of trade supported by the rural infrastructure. Weaving skills persist and women can gain additional income without disrupting domestic life or entering a factory environment.
What have largely vanished are dyeing skills. The local markets are a source of much misinformation. The large tourist centers make fantastic claims of natural dye use that have no basis in any tradition. Tourists are frequently told that greens are obtained from mint leaves and reds from rose petals. With natural dye knowledge back in the hands of artisans they can once again make the weavings that distinguish the tribal cultures of Morocco.
Over the next number of posts, we will be showing some of the photos taken to document the workshop.
The Maiwa Foundation encourages high quality traditional techniques and traditions. Its work consists in preserving existing work which may be disappearing and in helping groups regain the height of former skills. Increasingly Maiwa finds itself holding a wealth of knowledge in natural dyeing, weaving, embroidery, and blockprinting. This knowledge is much sought after by groups of artisans. The Maiwa Foundation supports our efforts to share this knowledge.
During the next number of posts we will be showing some of the photos taken to document our natural dye workshop held in Morocco in 2007.
More information about the natural-dye workshops and the Maiwa Foundation can be found on our website.
Over one-hundred people came out on June 25th to hear master weaver Kongthong speak about Laotian weaving traditions. The soft-spoken founder of Phaeng Mai Gallery from Vientianne, Laos, explained the deep connection between weaving and Laotian culture. "It is our gift to each other and to the world. Any woman can join the Phaeng Mai Studio to learn the art of weaving. "
After a slide show, Kongthong delivered a very personal exhibition of the textiles she had brought with her. Kongthong, who studied and received a Masters degree in Russia, returned to Laos to dedicate herself to weaving. The Maiwa presentation was one in a series given to raise the profile of Laotian textiles. Karen Selk, of Treenway Silks (www.treenwaysilks.com) organized a similar event on Salt Spring Island and in Victoria, BC.
Kongthong was overwhelmed with the turnout and extremely happy with the sales. She returned to Laos the following day.
Photo: Karen Selk of Treenway Silks, Kongthong of the Phaeng Mai Gallery, and Charllotte Kwon of Maiwa.
The music was fantastic, the food exceptional, the atmosphere exotic, and the Gallery full. Organizer Danielle Bush said, "The evening was magical, as always Chai brings together groups of beautiful people who share an interest in great food, music, dance, and who love to support a wonderful cause."
Our recent collaboration with Chai Gallery, "One Night on the Silk Road" was a night to be remembered indeed. Here we see one of the lucky raffle winners, Chika (who also sang at the event) with a collection of 4 DVDs, an ajrakh scarf and a wooden printing block, all contained in an antique teak platter.
A group of very talented musicians played that evening, including I Am Solidus, Chika Buston, and Tambura Rasa. The evening closed with Bocephus King, a.k.a. Jamie Perry.
The Maiwa Foundation raised over two-thousand dollars for Project Dhamadka. The financial goal was reached through generosity of spirit and an enchanting evening.
We encourage everyone to keep an eye on the Chai Gallery. They hold regular events that are quickly becoming a sensation in the Vancouver music scene. Maiwa is already looking forward to future collaborations.
2009 Maiwa Textile Symposium The Wrap Party & Auction Maiwa Handprints Our favourite event. The dyepots are exhausted, the last stitches are in place, and the ideas from the lecture series are still bouncing around. We put on a spread, bring in a live band, and let loose.
The highlight of the evening is the Maiwa Auction – it’s entertaining to watch and exhilarating to participate. All proceeds go directly to the Maiwa Foundation.
2009 Maiwa Textile Symposium Slow Clothes Fashion Show Bai Lou, Bleu de Lectoure, Qiviuk Boutique, and Maiwa Slow Food Live Music from Pepe Danza and His Band
Fashion Show with garments available for purchase
Bai Lou – Garments designed around the magic of the handloom, with techniques that have amazed and inspired since Roman times.
Bleu de Lectoure – Not just a colour, but an ennoblement of the fabric. French woad or European blue. Fashion from a natural dye revival.
Qiviuk Boutique – Rare fibres from Arctic muskox spun and knit with the expertise of the Andean highlands. The very essence of luxury.
Maiwa – For over twenty years cultivating the highest levels in artisan work, combining them now in clothing with transcendent soul.
2009 Maiwa Textile Symposium On the Banks of the Ichhamati Bappaditya Biswas $10
Presented and Introduced by Bappaditya Biswas
A Special Exhibition of Hand-woven Art Pieces Depicting the Story of the Blue Mutiny.
The Ichhamati River (the name translates as whimsical or wishful) unites the two Bengals (now West Bengal and Bangladesh). Under the rising sun of the British Raj, indigo cultivation in this floodplain grew and became one of the most important items of trade for the East India Company.
So profitable was the crop that peasant farmers were forced to plant indigo rather than food. The result was a devastating famine that turned the fertile lands into killing fields: the famous Blue Mutiny. Indigo became a symbol of both colonial oppression and of anti-colonial resistance.
Maiwa is pleased to host an installation of “On the Banks of the Ichhamati.” Conceived by Bappaditya Biswas and Bai Lou studio, the exhibition is a unique combination of traditional weave structures and contemporary forms. The exhibit tells of the journey of the Bengal handloom weavers and is a celebration of Bengal textiles.
Bappa's original weavings will also be available for sale.
BAPPADITYA BISWAS
Bappaditya Biswas (Bappa) studied batik, wood block printing, and textile design to complement his love of weaving. While he was still a student, his natural facility at the loom caught the attention of many and he was sponsored to attend the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia.
Wandering the streets of the USA, looking into shops, attending museums exhibits, and interacting with other artists, he became convinced that Indian craft had a great and unexplored potential.
At the same time the weavers outside Kolkata were pushing Bappa to find markets for the projects they had tried. With encouragement from the weavers, his own vision, and the support of his future wife, Rumi, Bappa left his job and started Bai Lou Studio.
“I started going to the village and staying there to work on ideas and designs. Sometimes I had to sit on the loom and show them what I wanted. Sometimes while watching them weave, a lot of ideas would creep into my head. It became a very interactive platform. Rumi would come in every evening after her work and inevitably get pulled into Bai Lou’s work. Bai Lou has benefited from her clarity of thought – especially in financial matters.”
Bai Lou specializes in hand weaves and techniques like jamdani (extra weft), double and triple cloths (extra warps), fine and coarse cotton muslins, and plain tabby weave. The ability to weave different textures and fabrics has been combined with the much bigger responsibility of keeping alive the tradition of weaving. Bai Lou has been awarded the UNESCO Seal of Excellence for Handcrafts.