TRITIK: The unsung art of Tie-Dye

Greetings,

In continuation to my earlier post...

My post on tie-dye has to continue with another interesting add-on to the same. Don't yet be tired of the earlier post because I have something more interesting to share.

Tie-Dye can be done in multiple ways. But there is one special technique I would like to mention... that is: TRITIK. People know about Bandhej/ Bandhani/ Tie-dye/ Leheria. (I am sorry I forgot to mention in my overwhelming love for the craft, that it is a very popular technique of Rajasthan and Gujarat of Western India). These techniques use 'thread' to resist the fabric at particular intervals.  And the outcome are small diamond dots. So you need to place several small diamonds together to create a motif/pattern. And also the newer versions of commercial Tie-Dye products are crude. The ties are coarser as compared to the earlier versions of the technique. By the way this reminds me, have you visited Crafts Museum, New Delhi as I mentioned in my previous post? Well, you will see the difference in the fineness. I will shut my self here, because I may write pages on details and technique and motifs but I would like you to explore it yourself and be mesmerized.

Well enough about it, this post is only and only for 'Tritik' technique of tie-dye.  So here we go...

In this unusual technique, small stitches create a resisted pattern. The unusual thing is not just the use of running stitch but the fact that any shape or pattern that you may think of can be produced on fabric. 

Thread tie-ing limits the variation and stylization, but tritik beholds unlimited scope of experimentation. It creates very delicate patterns of resist. But hardly is there any product that you can see in the market.  Most of the people are not even aware about its existence. Few days back my mother was thinking of buying a sari, suddenly I got a classic idea of creating a sari by the same tritik technique. Nothing complex but simple straight basting over the entire yardage. Well seems wuiet busy but its a very painstaking process, and therefore I have not even started yet. By god's grace if I happen to 'start and complete' that project in the near future I will post the photographs.

Here is a nugget of  information on how Tritik is done:

 The thickness and number of threads that you are stitching will determine the strength of the resist. As you start, tie a knot on the thread, and puncture the needle through the fabric. On the desired outline start basting, don't break the thread in between but when the thread ends tie a big knot. Continue with a new thread if your work is not finished yet. When the entire pattern is basted pull the knot from one side so the fabric gathers together. These folds will now create a resist. Now all you need to do is dye the fabric in your choice of colour. The outcome is a wave like pattern. 

Figure shows how to bast/stitch on the outline of the pattern.

Once the stitch/basting is complete tie the knot as shown in the figure and then pull the thread to create folds.

A Spiral created by tritik technique. Pull the thread in the end and dye the fabric.

Hope you found it as interesting as it was for me when I first heard about it.

Till Then...

Tie-Dye or Bandhani, as we call it...

I am sure the title explains it all.... but does it really??? (For those who dont know about tie -dye : It is technique of tie-ing some portion of fabric in a design pattern; resisting that part with threads and then dyeing the fabric in a colour. the resisted part remains white and the rest of the fabric takes colour. the white part can further be dyed by removing the threads and dyeing the fabric again in a darker color). But how and where to resist the fabric? That is a bigger question. There has to be a defined pattern in your mind and/or properly placed on a paper before tie-ing the particular fabric areas. So its a beautiful co-existence of uncolored part with the color flushed un-resisted fabric.

When I learnt to do tie-dye I thought I knew it.. and the first reaction was Ohh thats very easy and interesting way of creating patterns. Though naive at that time I hardly understood the beauty of this art. Its a painstaking, back screwing and eyes straining process of many hours. It requires patience, sincerity and a lot passion to create even a small handkerchief. Its very disheartening that back few days some known designers declared that tie and dye is fashion faux pas... and the worst in the fashion history. Excuse Me dearies I am sure they must be having some valid point for their such statement but do they really know tie-dye.. is it really that simple? Yea you might think u just have to tie some specific areas to create a design and then dye fabric... Its that SIMPLE!!!. It is a simple technique but the process is way complex. Without a specific thing in mind you might be creating weird and strange patterns. You cannot just start tie- ing or resisting the fabric without planning the outcome. But once the idea is clear one can come out with extraordinary designs.. but for that you need to have a very good sense of colors and designs yeah they will come alright even by an amateur. The beauty lies in the color and of course design is important too. On one of my trip to Jaipur, I met a craftsman, he told me the most practical yet overlooked aspect of dyeing/printing which over enthusiast and non technical designers miss while designing their clothes. That is color mixing!!!. You cannot expect a red color to emerge out of nowhere when the fabric has been already dyed out in black. And not all the color possibilities are practically do- able. So the 'designers to be' keep your thinking hat on while making some color ways.

Visit Crafts Museum, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi to appreciate the real master pieces of life time. And if possible try once, may be a small handkerchief in Tie-Dye.

In the next blog, I will talk about an interesting yet unpopular Tie-Dye technique... TRITIK.

Till Then....