Exploring the connections between two iconic dyes and the story of William Gatty and his home; Elmfield Hall in Accrington.
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A millennium ‘guaranteed wax’ calendar for the year 2000 from the ABC Wax company, which has links to Greater Manchester to this day. The company began with a printworks which opened in Hyde in the early 19th century. In 1908 they began to produce the exact kind of fabric we see here – imitation batik […]
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These panels from Indonesia or Borneo show the fourteen stages of the batik method required to make this relatively simple design of a beetle using blue and brown dyes. A more detailed design and wider range of colours would add many more steps to the process and require even more patience and skill to create. […]
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The elaborate pattern and vibrant colours of this Malaysian batik sarong would have required a great deal of skill to create and the finished garment would have been a status symbol for the wearer. The complex design features peacocks as well as other birds, butterflies and a variety of floral motifs. At least six different […]
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This intricately patterned sarong from Indonesia is a beautiful example of the batik method. The complex design features birds, spiders, beetles and other insects worked in shades of deep blue and brown. Each colour would require a new layer of wax to be laid over the relevant sections of fabric, dyed, then washed free of […]
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This commercial sample was designed and manufactured in Lancashire using industrial printing processes to closely imitate the effect of a traditional, hand worked batik or wax resist dyeing. It was produced by the Manchester based firm Edwards, Cunliffe & Co Ltd c.1950-60 and was intended for the African export market. A manufacturer’s label still attached […]
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Japanese hiki-furisode-style robe, of ombre dyed silk crepe with padded hem and long sleeves and lined with bright red silk. The robe has blank spaces for crests in the small circles either side of the front opening. The beautiful mauve ombre provides a backdrop for the delicate painted motifs depicting auspicious cranes along with pine […]
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This adire cloth was produced in Ibadan, Nigeria, and uses cassava starch paste as a resist to create the pattern using indigo dye. The technique is similar to other resist techniques such as batik, but using cassava starch instead of wax. This sample is now held in the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection but was originally collected […]
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A number of print methods are evident on this piece, which was likely created in India or Iran for the European market. The central square of the front is block printed with a deep red background and boteh motifs, while the surrounding intricate floral border is created with resist dyeing and either block printing or […]
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The front of this cloth features a heavily patterned floral central square surrounded by several narrower borders and an intricate edging of ‘Paisley’ boteh or buta motifs. These heavily stylised teardrop or pinecone shapes originated in Persian design but also became popular in India, particularly in Kashmiri shawls. The English term for the pattern comes […]
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Fashion Historian Amber Butchart curates an exhibition exploring movement, migration and making using pieces found in the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.
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A skirt or petticoat made from smooth cotton calico and lined throughout with a soft and coarsely woven cotton. The overall floral pattern is hand block printed and dyed using madder and indigo dyes with simple yet effective use of colour shading and layering to give a variety of colour tones using just a few […]
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