Newsletter no. 2-2008

Editors/Redaktion

This newsletter is written in order to spread experiences within the topic of ”historic textiles”. Our ambition is to amuse you and stimulate interest in the 18th Century. As permanent writers you will find Martin Ciszuk, MA in textile history, Laila Durán and Maria Fernström, who all work for the Durán Textiles AB company. We will also have help from colleagues and specialists from several museums and universities. This newsletter will be distributed ten times a year and is free of charge. We hope you will enjoy our articles and offers and help us to spread the letter to friends and colleagues.
Contact: www.durantextiles.com

Detta nyhetsbrev skrivs för att sprida erfarenheter inom ämnet ”historiska textiler” och 1700-talet. Ambitionen är att roa och stimulera intresset. Vi som skriver är Martin Ciszuk Fil.mag textilvetenskap, Laila Durán och Maria Fernström, samtliga verksamma inom Durán Textiles AB. Till vår hjälp har vi kollegor och specialister från olika muséer och universitet.
Nyhetsbrevet kommer ut tio gånger per år och är helt kostnadsfritt. Vi hoppas ni skall uppskatta våra artiklar och erbjudanden och även sprida informationen vidare till Era vänner.
Kontakt: www.durantextiles.com

Block printing neck kerchiefs.

By Laila Durán/Martin Ciszuk. Photo: Vasantha Nagesh.

To block print small neck kerchiefs may seem like a simple task, but the procedure is laborious and the production sometime takes several months. Here we will show how the neck kerchief, KATTFOT (cats pawn) from Arboga Museum in Sweden, was reconstructed by skilled Indian crafts men. Because the reproduction is made in this way, the new fabric get an expression very close to the ancient original.

The pattern repeat is drawn on waxed paper. The blocks are made of Burmese teak, a hard wood that will not be deformed and worn out in the printing process. After the blocks are roughly shaped the side used for printing is planed and polished. The pattern is transferred to the block via the waxed paper. The paper is pressed to the block during heating which makes the polished surface absorb the wax and the painted design. The design is then cut out using knife and chisel. The planing and polishing have to be done before cutting, otherwise the cut design would be damaged. The blocks are soaked in oil for ten days, mustard oil and ground nut oil is used.

The fabric is stretched on a printing table with a soft surface and the pattern repeat is measured and marked with thread. The blocks are dipped in the dyestuff and pressed to the fabric. Pigment dyestuffs are used which are fixed to the fabric by heating.

Block printing neck kerchiefs. By Laila Durán/Martin Ciszuk. Photo: Vasantha Nagesh.

Go back to the first page » Click here

Block printing neck kerchiefs.
By Laila Durán/Martin Ciszuk. Photo: Vasantha Nagesh.

Go back to the first page
» Click here