Vintage African Tie-Dye Textile

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A great tie-dyed textile made by the Bamana people of Mali.

This pattern is created using a starch-resist technique that … Read more A great tie-dyed textile made by the Bamana people of Mali.

This pattern is created using a starch-resist technique that consists of applying a dye-resisting agent to a cotton fabric by coating the surface of the cotton cloth with flour paste (cassava or cornflower) and then immersing it in a cold water dye such as indigo. Starch is only applied to one side of the cloth. Cassava starch will be applied through the zinc stencils and the stencils placed on top of the cloth would be pressed into the cloth with a metal spatula. To perform this task, the cloth will be nailed flat on a table. A series of stencils may be required to get good patterns. The cloth will then be soaked into the indigo-dye bath repeatedly to make sure the dyeing process is well-done. The starch is then scraped off the cloth, which is hung out to dry. See less