I-Heart Ikat

  

 



I know this trend is not new, but it is definitely getting love all over the interwebs (which is the only place I get any design inspiration now that I no longer have HGTV ... tear).

Basically, I want everything in ikat. Toothbrush? Yes. Lunch meat? You betcha! Entire home? Abso-feakin'-lutely.

 Ikat is actually pretty fascinating from a technical standpoint. Often compared to tie-dye, the process of creating ikat is much more complicated than your middle school girl scout tie dye t-shirt project. Individual threads are bound at different points, dyed, rebound and dyed again until they assume the desired colors in the desired places. Then the threads are woven together, matching the color blocks in order to create the pattern. So basically, the artist needs to visualize the intended pattern before she even has the cloth made. Pretty impressive.

Setting up the pattern on thread, via here.

Ikat can be found in textile traditions around the world: from Argentina and Guatemala to India, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand. And if you're not able to travel to these place, well, you're in luck! There's a wide variety of retailers just waiting to sell some ikat pieces to you. Behold:

From here, via Pinterest.

Ikat art, from here via Pinterest

 Ikat just screams to be put on every surface of your home. Seriously.

Ikat bowls, via Pinterest.  

I'm sorry, I can't find where these are actually from. So I can't give you easy access to purchase these for me for my birthday. But that shouldn't stop you from tracking them down on your own.

Ikat Tray, from Amazon via Pinterest.

Need, with flowers, on my coffee table. Stat.

From here, via Pinterest.

Drool.

Ikat Necklace, from here.

Cool, kind of crafty-chic. I'd wear with a cream crew-neck sweater and feel edgier than ususual.

From here, via Pinterest.

This is about the only thing that makes me want an iPod. This and Angry Birds.

So, in the frenzy that is Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, and whatever else excuse for shopping mania they've come up with, keep your eyes peeled for some ikat loveliness. 'Cause you'll definitely want to cross me off your shopping list first, right?