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tikdi

tikdi (India)

Gujarati term for small dots used in appliqué work. Tikdi is a traditional Indian technique devised as a way to use the smallest of fabric scraps. The dots are made from remnants leftover from other appliqué and patchwork. In essence, tikdi are twice recycled. Small circles are cut from fabric leftovers and stitched by hand onto a base cloth creating a constellation of appliquéd dots. We started using tikdi in 2006. Our designs, though seemingly random, are partially engineered so that each textile feels one-of-a-kind yet is standardized enough for production. This involves a strategized process wherein Christina and patternmaker Lisa Faith rigorously sort and organize scraps by color, fabric type, and size, then record detailed instructions of where tikdi are to be placed for an overall balanced composition. Color is freeform. While no two pieces are exactly the same, there is general aesthetic uniformity across the group. See also recyclingrecycled jamdani

trineellitsgaard

Trine Ellitsgaard (Denmark/Mexico)

Danish textile artist living in Oaxaca who is a partner and coordinator of dosa’s Oaxaca projects. Trine studied under textile designer and master weaver Vibeke Klint at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts. A resident of Oaxaca for over two decades, her work suggests she is both of a place and outside of a place. Her Scandinavian aesthetic makes innovative use of materials indigenous to Oaxaca, creating a contemporary take on the traditional. Together with her husband, Francisco Toledo, Trine has established numerous local public access institutions in Oaxaca that she continues to help maintain and operate.