Art
Atlas Silk
Bright, softly blurred patterns created by dyeing the threads before the cloth is woven.
Atlas (etles) is a silk cloth made with the ikat technique. Bundles of warp threads are tied tightly in sections and dyed, then untied and dyed again in other colours before weaving begins.
Because the dye seeps slightly under the ties, the edges of each shape look soft and feathered. This is the signature look of atlas, and no two lengths of cloth are exactly the same.
Atlas is worn for dresses and headscarves, especially at weddings and celebrations. Its colours also appear in embroidered doppa caps and many other Uyghur crafts.