Darjeeling Scarf / Wrap

Content: Linen, Cotton and Wool

Measurements: approx 186cm x 56cm + 18cm fringe (74” x 22” + 7″ fringe)

This piece is made using a 40/2 (very fine) linen thread spun in Bengal, India. The yarn is naturally dyed using Kasheem, Myrobalan, Indigo, Cutch, Madder and Lac (see below.)

I have woven this wrap with a slightly slubby cotton and wool yarn, in an undualting twill pattern. It is finished off with fine twisty cords at the fringe, and little tassels at the bottom edges.

I have used a slightly slubby cotton and wool yarn for the weft, in an undulating twill pattern. This scarf has a beautiful soft handle and is very drapey.

You can wear this as either an oversized scarf or a wrap. Linen feels softer and softer the more it is worn. It is also a very sustainable fibre and biodegradable.

To protect the natural dyes you absolutely must use a pH neutral liquid detergent.

Kasheem – is iron water using a traditional recipe of fermenting scrap iron, date palm sugar and chickpea flour. It reacts with tannins to create greys & blacks.

Myrobalan – This dyestuff consists of ground nuts of the Terminalia chebula tree. This tree grows in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and south China. It may be classed as both a mordant and a dye, giving a light buttery yellow when applied.

Indigo (natural)– natural indigo powder is an extract prepared from Indigofera tinctoria which is cultivated for this purpose.

Cutch Extract– This powder is an extract prepared from steeping the wood of the Acacia catechu tree in hot water until a syrupy liquid emerges. This is dried and then ground into powder.

Madder – Madder is one of the oldest known dyestuffs and comes from the Rubia tinctorum (Dyer’s madder) or Rubia cordifolia (Indian madder).

Lac Extract  –  a red dye extract from the scale insect Laccifer lacca which is found throughout India, south east Asia, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan and south China. It is found both in the wild and cultivated.