Incredible Ikat from Flores

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We have just been to Flores, an island in eastern Indonesia for the third time. We revisited some villages and did a 3 day introduction to natural dyeing and ikat weaving in Maumere. This confirmed to me how amazing these ikat weavings are and just how much skill, patience and time goes into making them. Flores has always been famous for the beauty and intricacy of its ikat textiles. A girl is expected to be able to weave ikat textiles for her family before she is thought ready to marry.

Each village has its own designs and dyes and the scarves and sarongs which we bought are mostly dyed with local natural plant dyes. These are mainly indigo blue, mangrove bark for black, soga brown, mango leaf for green and mengkudu (morinda citrifolia) root forall kinds of shades from deep red to pale apricot. Here is a selection of what we brought back from our trips. Each one we sell ensures that we can continue to spend money with the weaving women who often use the money to pay for their kids to go to school.

Narrow vintage ikat sample piece

A chance to buy a textile treasure. A narrow hemmed band cut from an old traditional ikat sarong. The photos show some of our selections. Size: 10 - 15 cms wide x approx 130 cms Colours: deep rich browns, chestnut browns and burgundy reds with creams and pale sandy yellows.

IK08 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Narrow vintage ikat sample piece

£15.00 each Buy

Soft vintage ikat scarf

A lovely scarf which has been made from an old traditional sarong. We bought this piece from a lady with a small stall on the road to N'Gela. She buys up old sarongs from her neighbours, cuts off the worn out parts and hems them into fringed scarves. Beautifully soft texture to make an awesome scarf. Size: 29 x 142 cms inc short fringes Colours: Black, chestnut brown and beige

IK06 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Soft vintage ikat scarf

£19.50 each Buy

Beautiful Ikat scarf

Naturally dyed ikat scarf from Flores island Size: 20 x 130 cms.

IK09 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Beautiful Ikat scarf

£24.50 each Buy

Soft vintage scarf from Ende

Another lovely soft scarf made from an old traditonal sarong with ancient designs. I bought this one from a woman selling from her small stall on the streets of Ende's market. Size: 25 x 140 cms (including short twisted fringes) Colours: deep rich brown , burgundy and chestnut brown

IK07 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Soft vintage scarf from Ende

£25.50 each Buy

Narrow ikat hanging with cowrie shells

A piece bought from the ladies at Lawolewok a village near Larantuka on the eastern tip of Flores. This narrow piece which would look great hung on the wall is made from hand spun and hand woven cotton, natural dyes and has 7 tiny flowers sewn from 4 cowrie shells each Size: 13 x 110 cms (excluding the plaited fringes) Colours: rich aubergine and ivory

IK05 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Narrow ikat hanging with cowrie shells

£32.50 each Buy

Ikat wall hanging from N'Dona

A stunning ikat bought from the women of the ikat co-operative in N'Dona village near Ende. The women here work together to make and market their beatiful work which uses exclusively naturally dyed yarn. Size: 27 x 145 (excluding fringe) Colours: browns and indigos - beautiful dark blue borders with lovely variegated fringe

IK03 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Ikat wall hanging from N'Dona

£55.00 each Buy

Fabulous hanging from N'Gela

N'gela is a village on the southern coast of Flores which is incredibly difficult to reach down a long and very degraded road. In the end it was worth the trip! The women here make what I consider to be the best ikat in all of Flores. This beautiful naturally dyed piece could be used as a wall hanging or scarf Size: 49 x 144 cms excluding fringe Colours: deep brown, dark indigo and pale brown with lovely long rich brown fringes

IK02 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Fabulous hanging from N'Gela

£65.00 each Buy

Naturally dyed wall hanging from N'Dona

Beautiful fine ikat hanging we bought from a women's weavers co-operative near Ende in Flores. So good you'd have to put it on the wall! Colours: beautiful, deep indigo blue, and rich chestnut red browns all yarns are dyed using natural plant dyes (including morinda and indigo) Size: 36 x 150 cms.

IK16 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Naturally dyed wall hanging from N'Dona

£68.00 each Buy

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Traditional woman's sarong from N'Gela

Beautiful traditional ikat sarong woven in three pieces and hand stitched together to make a woman's skirt tube which can be worn in a variety of ways. Hand spun heavy cotton gives this sarong a wonderful drape and weight. Lovely hand stitched seams. Size: 146 x 180 cms (if opened out) Colours: Beautiful subtle and deep natural dyes of mengkudu root (morinda citrifolia), mangrove bark, indigo and mango leaf

IK18 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Traditional woman's sarong from N'Gela

£145.00 each Buy

Mama Katerina's ceremonial indigo ikat

An amazing piece of indigo ikat bought from the maker herself, Mama Katerina in the Bajawa region of Flores. This ikat cloth is made to wear as part of community rituals. The cloth is woven in three separate sections which have been hand stitched together to form a tube garment. Colours: indigo blue with white motifs. Red, orange and white ceramic beads and tiny cowrie shells form a design of crabs and a central motif of a figure in a sailing boat. Pieces like this (called Lawo Buto) are only worn at the most important rituals and never for everyday wear. Mama Katerina kindly offered to show me how it is worn. Size: 150 x 170 cms

FI06 – Incredible Ikat from Flores: Mama Katerina's ceremonial indigo ikat

£350.00 each Buy