INDIAN TEXTILES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 18

INDIAN TEXTILES

TIED AND DYED

The beautiful "tied and dyed" textiles originating in India have alsobeon fojind in other countries, says the "New' YorJc Times." The Japanese colour silk fabric in the same laborious and com-: plicated manner, but use only, small cloths and wear the finished article as bright' ornanments in . tho > hair. The same typo of textile has been found in a small mountain -town on tho island of-.Cyprus,- 'where'the -women still, make the fabrics for scarfs—for their own use, not for commercial gain—though the' custom is dying out.

Tho women of Northern India have made the.; colouring ;of. these fabrics a thriving industry. , They start tho process with a piece of cottoii or silk of one colour, pulling out .small folds and tying each-fold'with: a .thread > or fine string. When a number of folds have been tied up following a certain design the whole'piece is dipped in a dye of a second colour. The part covered by the string retains its original colour, forming' a circle or dot. Then more folds are tied aikl a third colour \is used. By continuing this .process the most intricate designs are made, and the result is an elaborately figured textile.

Such fabrics, because of their lightness and delicacy, are sometimes called "running water," duo to tho fact that they can hardly be seen when placed in a stream, or "floating ;iir," being so light and transparent when tossed in the wind.