Part 2 : Work with Machines and Materials

This project will help you learn how to make beautiful patterns on fabric with dye. You will do this using different tie and dye techniques.

As part of the project, you will be able to:

• Learn about different techniques of tie and dye
• Prepare natural dye
• Explore tie and dye patterns on fabric
• Design a product using tie and dye

India has a rich history of textiles, with each state having its own traditional ways of weaving cloth and creating beautiful patterns using different methods, like dyeing, embroidery, and printing. Some of these weaves and patterns have been used across centuries.

Among these methods is tie and dye, e.g., Lehariya, Bandhani (Figures 3.1 and 3.2). Bandhani, which literally means 'to bind or tie', is a resist dye technique. Resist dye techniques prevent dye from colouring some parts, so that it retains the original colour. Thus, it creates beautiful patterns.

In the Bandhani method, fabric is folded, tied, twisted, and bound to prevent certain portions from being coloured. Artisans practising this method tie the fabric so that circles, spirals, stripes, and even patterns that appear like plants and animals are created. Bandhani is also known as tie and dye, and is generally practised in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Usually done on cotton, silk, and wool, traditional Bandhani is created using natural dyes made of plants and spices.

Another popular resist dye method is wax resist where wax or a starchy paste is applied either freehand or using blocks/stencils, which have patterns carved on them. These patterns can be geometric, or in the shape of animals or plants. This is known as batik, and has traditionally been practised in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.

Bandhani is among the oldest tie and dye techniques. The earliest evidence of Bandhani is found in the Ajanta caves in Maharashtra where paintings show a woman wearing a dotted cloth that is believed to be Bandhani (Figure 3.3).

Bandhani is not merely an Indian art form, it also reflects the rich culture of our country. Different colours and styles of Bandhani are associated with different communities and worn with pride in both Rajasthan and Gujarat (Figure 3.4). In some communities, different types of Bandhani are associated with different rituals.

Since tie and dye products are created by hand, and no two artisans will tie the fabric in the same way, no two pieces are alike. Thus, each pattern is unique.

This project will help you create your own unique tie and dye product.

What will I be able to do?

By the end of this project, you will be able to:

1. 1. Prepare natural dyes using vegetables, fruits, spices, and plants.
2. 2. Design patterns for tie and dye.
3. 3. Use tie and dye to create colourful patterns on recycled fabrics.
4. 4. Prepare a product using tie and dye.

What will I need?

You will need different kinds of tools and materials before you start working:

Tools and Materials required

1. 1. Fabric: Fabric used for Bandhani must be strong since it has to undergo multiple rounds of tying and dyeing. Hence, fabric made of natural fibres is used, e.g., cotton, silk, wool. You can use light coloured thin cotton fabric cut out of old clothes. If there are light-coloured linen or silk clothes that have been discarded at home, you can use them as well. You must ensure no traces of starch or dirt remain by washing the fabric carefully.
2. 2. Material for tying: Thread for tying must be white or very light coloured. This is to avoid the colour from 'bleeding' from the thread, that is, to prevent the colour of the thread itself from dyeing the fabric. Rubber bands and clips can also be used if large portions are to resist the dye. Grains, pulses, seeds, small stones, peppercorns, etc., can be used to ensure that the area that resists the dye is of the desired size.
3. 3. Material for dyeing and fixing: Natural dyes can be made using a variety of materials, e.g., beetroot, coffee, turmeric, red cabbage, pomegranate, henna, spinach, orange peels, onion skin, and indigo. To ensure the colour of the dye does not wash out or fade too soon or bleed from your product onto other clothes (e.g., on a shirt you are wearing), you will need fixers. For example, salt/vinegar is used to fix the dye when flowers or leaves are used.
4. 4. Tools: Measuring cup/spoon, containers, burner/stove, stirrers, iron, mug, plates, scissors, tongs, glass, bowl.

The nakhli or nakhlo (Figure 3.5) is a 'ring' made of metal with a protruding blunt edge used by artisans to pick the fabric.

How do I keep myself and others safe?

The following precautions need to be taken during various tasks involved in tie and dye techniques:

1. 1. Wear gloves to protect your hands from warm dyes, and aprons to protect your clothes while using dyes. Use masks to avoid colour splashing on your mouth and prevent breathing in any vapour from the hot dye. Wear goggles to keep your eyes safe from hot water.
2. 2. Work in a well-ventilated area so that smells and vapours do not irritate you.
3. 3. Handle scissors with care while cutting fabric—never point the scissors towards yourself or anyone else.
4. 4. Carefully dispose of any leftover dye solution in the sink. While using the dye, spread plastic sheets on the surface to prevent splashes and to keep the work area safe and clean.

Internet safety: Seek help from your teacher while using the Internet. Be careful not to upload or download anything without checking. Do not share personal information anywhere.

What do I need to know before I start?

Look at the Bandhani samples in figure 3.6 below - patterns are repeated across each sample. What patterns do you see? Draw them in the box below the image.

Now, compare the patterns you have drawn with those drawn by your peer. Discuss them with your peer.

Before you start making your own tie and dye patterns, you need to identify which fabric should be used. It will be useful to understand which fabrics and patterns are popular, and likely to sell. You can also compare the cost of tie and dye products with other products.

One way to do this would be to visit a shop selling clothes. You could also interact with a local boutique owner or a fashion designer.

Visiting a tie and dye workshop will help you to gain firsthand knowledge of the process. You could also invite an artisan to your school to give a demonstration. However, if it is not possible to get an artisan, even a person who does tie and dye as a hobby could be invited.

It is quite possible that a tie and dye workshop is not present in the vicinity. In that case, you can visit a dyeing workshop to get an understanding of the process.

Activity 1: Visit to a shop

You will observe many types of products in the shop, made of different fabrics using different methods, like weaving, embroidery, dyeing, and so on (Figure 3.7).

While in the shop, try to get a feel of different fabrics by touching them. See if you can find Bandhani/Batik/Shibori or any other kind of tie and dye designs.

Before the visit, think of the questions you would like to ask the shopkeeper. Some pointers are given in table 3.1 but please add to these. Get responses for at least five types of fabrics.

Table 3.1: Exploring fabrics in a shop

1. 1. Is tie and dye available?
2. 2. If yes, then which type (e.g., Shibori, Leheriya, Bandhani,...)?
3. 3. What kind of garment is most popular (e.g., saree, dupatta, scarf, stole, kurta)?
4. 4. Which fabrics and colours are most popular with customers, and sell the most?

What else do you think tie and dye can be used for besides clothes, like kurtas, turbans, shirts, sarees, dupattas? Think, and write down your ideas.

Activity 2: A visit to a tie and dye workshop

While visiting the workshop, observe everything around and ask as many questions as possible (Figure 3.8).

Ask for a demonstration of the process, and try to do some of the tasks yourself, if possible.

Here are some questions to get you started. Many other questions may come to mind when you are interacting with the experts. Do remember to note the responses to those questions as well.

1. 1. How do you tie the fabric? How do you make sure the patterns are of the same size? How do you make the pattern larger or smaller?
2. 2. Which tools and materials do you use for dyeing? Where do you get the dye from?
3. 3. What type of fabrics can be dyed easily? Are all these fabrics good for tie and dye as well?
4. 4. How do you ensure the colour does not bleed after dyeing?
5. 5. What should be the temperature of the dye when you dip the fabric? Does the temperature have to be the same for all fabrics and all dyes?
6. 6. How many times is the fabric soaked in the dye?
7. 7. How is the fabric dyed? How long does it take?
8. 8. Is it possible to dye different sections of fabric in various colours? If so, could you explain the process?

Look at the figure 3.9 below - it shows the process of tie and dye.

1. Step 1: Select the fabric

2. Step 2: Wash the fabric

3. Step 3: Select the plant for natural dye

4. Step 4: Tie the fabric

5. Step 5: Prepare the dye and add fixer

6. Step 6: Dye the tied fabric

7. Step 7: Dry the dyed fabric

8. Step 8: Untie the fabric and see the design

In case you are not able to visit a workshop or invite an artist, you can watch an online video, using the following search words on Internet to find a relevant video: tie and dye process, tie and dye workshop, Bandhani workshop, Bandhani artisans India.

In case you observed something else, do add it to figure 3.9.

What do I have to do?

Activity 3: Exploring the art of tie and dye

Before you make your product, you must practice and experiment with fabrics, dyes, and designs. First, make some samples on a small piece of fabric.

Step 1: Prepare the sample fabrics

Get five handkerchief-sized (6 × 6 inches) fabrics. These fabrics could be from an old shirt, kurta, saree, or anything that is not in use anymore. You can use different kinds of fabric—thin cotton, thick cotton, silk, linen, or any other fabric to see the difference in results. Remember to start with white or light-coloured fabrics so you can see your designs better. Figure 3.10 shows how the fabric is to be prepared.

1. Step 1: Cut the fabric

2. Step 2: Wash to remove any starch or dirt

3. Step 3: Dry the fabric and iron it to remove any crease

Write the details of the fabrics you are going to use in table 3.2 below:

Table 3.2: Checklist of samples

Step 2: Tying the fabric

You have already read that when we tie the fabric, we prevent the part that has been tied from getting coloured by dye. This resisting of the dye creates patterns due to the difference between the parts that are dyed and not dyed. Tying the fabric in different ways will create different and unique design(s).

Experts can tie and dye the same fabric multiple times to introduce colours in the patterns - this is done by dyeing the fabric multiple times, each time tying different parts of the fabric to get a different colour and pattern. However, we will stick to two colours - the original colour of the fabric and the colour of the dye.

The technique for tying fabric for Bandhani, Shibori, and Leheriya is given in figures 3.11 to 3.13, respectively.

Bandhani tying technique

1. Step 1: Draw a design on the fabric using tiny circles/dots.

2. Step 2:Place a mustard seed on the fabric where you want the design element to appear. Pinch a small portion of the fabric around the seed using your fingers.

3. Step 3:Pull the seed up with the fabric and tie it tightly with the thread. Repeat the process for the design you would like to create.

Traditionally, Bandhani patterns are given different names depending on the number of knots in the design. Larger designs are made by repeating these patterns. Some examples are given in table 3.3; try to make your own design using any of these.

Table 3.3: Examples of some traditional Bandhani patterns

Name of the pattern and image	Your design using this pattern
Ekdali: Single dot
Trikunti: Groups of three
Chaubandi/Chaubasi: Groups of four
Satbandi: Groups of seven

Shibori tying technique

1. Step 1: Draw the design on the fabric. You can draw the design either in a straight or dotted line.

2. Step 2: Use a needle and thread to sew simple running stitches along the lines of your design. Make sure to keep even spacing for a neat pattern.

3. Step 3: Continue stitching until your entire pattern is outlined with the running stitches. Keep the stitches loose, as they will be gathered later.

4. Step 4: Gently pull the loose ends of the thread to gather the fabric, creating folds. The tighter you pull, the more distinct your design will be.

5. Step 5: Once gathered, tie a firm knot at the end of the thread to hold the folds in place. Make sure it is tight, so the dye does not seep into the folded areas.

You can vary the pattern by varying the length of the stitches, the angle of the lines, and where and how tightly you tie the thread.

Leheriya tying technique

1. Step 1: Fold the fabric in half and find the centre point. This will help in creating symmetrical pleats.

2. Step 2: Start making small, even pleats by folding the fabric back and forth like an accordion. Ensure the pleats are neat for a clean pattern.

3. Step 3: Continue folding until the entire fabric is pleated. Hold the fabric firmly to maintain the folds.

4. Step 4: Carefully hold the pleats and tie them tightly with thread at the centre. Ensure the knot is secure to keep the pleats in place.

5. Step 5: Tie the fabric at equal intervals on both sides of the centre. This will create the Leheriya pattern after dyeing.

You can vary the design by decreasing or increasing the number of pleats, as well as the distance at which you tie the thread.

Now, you are ready to tie your first sample. First, think of a design, draw it on the fabric and then tie your first sample fabric. Do not tie and dye all samples together. Doing one sample at a time will help you improve your tying technique. You can decide which technique to use; however, it is recommended you try more than one technique.

On the basis of your experience of tying, fill table 3.4. Draw the design of the sample, and note any challenges you faced and their solutions. You can make additional samples if needed.

Table 3.4: Making the samples

Step 3: Preparation of dye

Different kinds of dyes, both chemical and natural, are available in the market. Of these, natural dyes are more environment friendly.

To prepare natural dyes, select the ingredients based on the colour you want (e.g., turmeric/marigold flowers for yellow, beetroot for pink, spinach leaves for green, blue hibiscus/blueberry/blue pea flower for blue).

Figure 3.16 shows the process for dyeing the tied fabric.

Dye, dry and untie the fabric

1. Step 1: Dip the tied fabric in normal water.

2. Step 2: Dip the fabric in warm dye solution for 20-30 minutes.

3. Step 3: Take the fabric out of the dye. Ensure you wear gloves.

4. Step 4: Wash it with plain water once to remove excess dye.

5. Step 5: Keep it in a clean space to dry for a day.

6. Step 6: Next day, you can untie and press the fabric.

Repeat the process from steps 1-6 for all 5 samples.

Did you face any of the challenges listed in table 3.7? See if you can overcome these challenges with other samples.

Table 3.7: Common challenges and their solutions

Look at the samples carefully.

What did you learn to do/not to do as you moved from samples 1-5?

Step 4: Documenting a swatch file

Create a swatch file to display your samples (Figure 3.17). A swatch file is a combination of your creative samples with some details. You will use this file to present your samples. For each sample include the following:

1. 1. Fabric sample
2. 2. Type of fabric
3. 3. Technique used for tying and dyeing
4. 4. Fabrics and dye used
5. 5. Challenges faced while creating the sample
6. 6. Step-by-step process of preparing the samples

Activity 4: Making the final product

After trying your hand at 5 samples, you have learned the stepwise process of tie and dye. Now, you are ready to create a product you can use.

Step 1: Selection of a product

Select a product that you would like to create, e.g., dupatta, pillow cover, scarf, or dress material. First, select the fabric—try and find old clothes at home that are not worn anymore or old bedsheets, and cut them as needed. Figure 3.18 shows a size chart for some of the products.

You can take the help of your teacher, a family member, or a tailor from a nearby shop to cut the fabric in the proper size.

1. 1. Which product will you make?
2. 2. Which fabric did you select? Why?
3. 3. Sketch the pattern of your product with dimensions.

Step 2: Finalise the design, colour and tying technique

You need to come up with a design for using the tie and dye technique. You can take 'design inspiration' from things around you. Figure 3.19 shows some design examples inspired by everyday objects.

Now, try and draw a design inspired by the flower in figure 3.20.

Take a fun walk around and get inspired by the world. Look at nature, art, or even your favourite things to spark ideas for your design. Imagine, nature can inspire patterns of tie and dye techniques. The pattern you finally chose could be based on such a 'design inspiration'.

After you decide your design(s), choose the dye colour and the tie and dye technique.

1. 1. What is your design inspiration?
2. 2. Draw the design you want on your product in the box.

3. 3. Which plant (vegetables/flowers/fruits) or other materials (e.g., tea, coffee) will you use to prepare the dye?
4. 4. Which tie and dye technique will you use?

Step 3: Tie and dye the product

It is time to bring your tie and dye dream to life. Prepare your fabric and make it ready for the tying and dyeing process. Follow your design and create patterns by tying the fabric in creative ways.

Make sure you follow all the safety rules. You have a bigger cloth this time than your sample fabrics, therefore use 2-3L of water to make a larger quantity of plant dye. After dyeing the fabric, leave it to dry for a day.

Describe what you did in table 3.8.

Table 3.8: Recording the process of making the final product

Step 4: Untying the product

The final step is untying the dried fabric carefully to reveal your unique design. Once the knots are undone, iron your product to smoothen out any wrinkle. The heat of the iron must be selected according to the fabric.

1. Did you manage to create the design you wanted? If not, what might be the reason?

Activity 5: What did you invest?

You invested both time and maybe some money was spent to gather material. Tables 3.9 will help you estimate the cost of the product.

Table 3.9: Product costing

What did I learn from others?

1. 1. You learnt during field trips, online and offline interactions with experts, family and friends, community members, and other sources. What did you find most interesting?
2. 2. What did you learn from family/community members (e.g., any information about traditional clothes at home, stories about making clothes or special memories attached to clothes)?

What did I do and how long did it take?

It is important to understand how much time is required for an activity to be completed.

Calculate the approximate amount of time in hours you spent on each activity. Mark them on the timeline below. If you did more than the activities suggested in the book, please add the number and time taken.

What else can I do?

Ornamentation is about adding that special touch to your creation. You can add your creativity to decorate the product. Look for materials you already have - recycled items, leftover fabrics, buttons, silk or cotton thread, mirrors, etc. Table 3.10 has some examples; you can get more ideas from your teacher, family members, or friends.

Table 3.10: Ornamentation of your finished product

Types of ornamentation	How to do it?
Lace	- Place the lace on the fabric where you want to attach it. - Pin the lace to the fabric so that it does not shift when you sew. - Use a simple running stitch to fix the lace with the fabric.
Buttons	- Choose the buttons of your choice. - Plan how you will use them - for example, you may like to add 4 buttons at the corners of your scarf or 5 buttons on each side of your dupatta. - Fix the buttons to the fabric using needle and thread.
Pom-pom/Tassels	- Choose the pom-pom/tassel of your choice. - Plan how you will use them, for example, you may like to add 4 tassels at the corners of your pillow cover/cushion or 7 tassels on each side of your dupatta. - Fix the pom-pom/tassels to the fabric using needle and thread.

You can also explore embroidery, beadwork, and sequins apart from the things mentioned in table 3.10. This will make your product even more unique.

Think and Answer

1. 1. What did you enjoy doing?
2. 2. What challenges did you face?
3. 3. What will you do differently next time?
4. 4. Write the journey of a tie and dye product from producing raw materials to reaching the market. Which jobs are involved in this process?
5. 5. Identify few examples of jobs related to the work you just did. For example, artisan, dyer, fashion designer, retailer, and textile researcher. Look around, speak to people and write your answer.