into a ball and tied in all directions until it becomes solid mass. The fabric can also be twisted and coiled length wise and tied to create marbling effect. This method gives variegated and irregular cloud like effects. It is thereafter generally dyed in light colours, and may be repeated in two or more colours.
It helps to create a multicoloured background, which can later be tie-dyed in a more definite pattern. Fig. . : Making a Ball Fig.
. : Coiling Binding: Certain parts of fabric are bound very tightly with thread before dyeing. Binding can be done in the form of a dot, a band, line, criss-cross or spiral. Designs are like stripes — straight or diagonal (lehria) , circles or spots (bandhej).
Fig. . : Binding Tritik or sewing: The fabric is sewn with a needle using simple tacking stitches along a definite pattern. A strong thread is used with a large knot in the beginning.
It is pulled so that cloth is gathered closely; and finished with a knot again to hold the gathers together. The patterns created are pleasing bands of dotted textures of various shapes. Folding: The fabric is folded in different forms, like pleats, squares, triangles. To hold the folds together binding or clipping is done using thread or clips respectively.
The pattern created is in the form of symmetrical stripes, bands, squares etc. Best effects are achieved on thick materials because the fabric itself forms the resist. These patterns can be later used as background for block printing and embroidery. Fig.
. : Folding In the class make the above designs on small samples of white cotton cloth. After tying, dye the cloth by simple dyeing method. Note Before tying the cloth, design the fabric by washing in hot soapy water so that the dye is absorbed evenly by the fabric.