Cotton ikat fabrics have been a big part of Stonemountain & Daughter since the beginning! We’ve had a wonderful partnership with one of our original ikat fabric suppliers since the Berkeley shop opened in 1981, and we’ve been thrilled to bring designer deadstock ikats from Laura & Kiran into the shop in the past year. We love that this timeless fabric has been a part of our past and will surely be a part of our future as well. There’s no better time than the new year to take a closer look at this fabric and its potential for inspiring even morebeautiful garments in 2024!
Ikat fabrics are handwoven, yarn dyed fabrics that have a soft hand and light drape. They are densely woven and are generally opaque, and can be used to make beautiful dresses, pants, jackets, and pillows. Due to the handmade processes used in creating ikats, there are occasionally variations in the appearance of the fabric—we love that these variations show the artisan’s hand in the creation of the cloth!
Bright colors and bold patterns are what make our selection of ikats and yarn dyes unique—you can create a striking statement piece with even the most basic garment pattern! These colorful cotton fabrics are stable and easy to sew, so we recommend them for beginner-friendly garment patterns like Shirt No. 1 and Dress No. 2. For more experienced sewists, we love the color and personality ikats bring to garments like the Shay Dress and the Regalia Blouse.
When we heard that Stonemountain & Daughter sales associate Diana planned to give her favorite chairs a makeover with ikat fabrics from the shop, we couldn’t wait to see how they turned out—and we’re so excited to share them with you today! After selecting two fabrics from our collection of Laura & Kiran designer deadstock, Diana hired Umphred Furniture in Berkeley to upholster the chairs—they did an amazing job and she says they were a dream to work with. We love the idea of updating older furniture with new fabrics, and we think these chairs are just the thing to make Diana’s new space feel like home!
We were delighted to begin stocking designer deadstock from Laura & Kiran in 2023! Laura & Kiran’s ikats are handwoven, yarn-dyed cotton fabrics with a soft hand, dense weave, and a gentle drape. The intricate patterns are inspired by Laura & Kiran’s travels, antique textiles, and Indian art and architecture. Laura & Kiran design their fabrics right here in Berkeley, and the fabrics are manufactured by skilled craftspeople in India using traditional textile dyeing and weaving techniques. While the fabrics were created primarily for home dec, they are truly multi-purpose: perfect for upholstery, pillows, and table runners; for aprons and bags; and at about 7oz per square yard, for garment patterns like The September, Pants No. 1, the Burnside Bibs, and the Austin Dress.
