A trip to the Ikat Village

Paisly loves pattern and in Bali, patterned textiles are everywhere. People wear them, statues wear them and even buildings wear them, (on special occasions).

The most traditional Balinese textile is the Endek, or weft Ikat. While the warp is one color the weft thread goes through a complicated process of pre-stringing, binding and hand dying to create a multicolored fabric. The characteristic "fuzzy" edge of the final weaving is the result of the slightest stretch or misalignment of the thread during the weaving process. Each linear foot of Endek ikat is the result of many skilled hands and many hours of work.


The undyed weft is prestrung and small sections are bound with plastic ribbon which acts as a resist.


After the weft is hand painted with dyes in small sections, it is washed, dried and bundled.


The binding is carefully removed, the threads must not be cut. Splicing the thread back together would shift the design.


Great care must be used to assure the weft doesn't wander creating too "blurry" a motif.


At this shop a ceremonial kamben (or sarong, 40" wide x 2.3 yards long) costs only about 22,000 rupiah or $20 US dollars.