Adire is a Yoruba word originaly maining to take, to tie and to dye. Today it describes resist indigo-dyed cloth produced by a variety of techniques.

In adire elko designs are hand painted by women and girls directly onto undyed cotton cloth with paste (eko). This is made from cassava flour (lafun) mixed with water and copper sulphate. Panting tools are chicken feathers, sticks or palm leaf ribs. The designs are of stylized birds and other everyday objects. Adire eleko cloths were first produced around 1910, when large quantities of cotton shirting began to be imported into the country. Cloth is dipped several times in a vat of indigo sye by the dyer (alaro). Each time it is dipped the colour is enriched. When the cloth had been dyed, it is hung to dry. When the cloth is dry the paste is scraped off leaving white patterns on a blue background. A final dip after the paste has been removed softens the contrast giving the white a pale blue colour. Adire alabere is one of the oldest forms of adire. The pattern is produced by sewing the cloth with a needle and raffia or cotton thread, either by hand or by machine. Usually two cloths are stitched together and these are folded into tucks or pleats before being sewn with a running stitch or oversewing stitch. The stitches are made tight enough to resist the dye from penetrating unser them. After it has been dyed the dry cloth is ready for the stitched threads to be removed. Some stands are left in the cloth as assurance to the purchaser that the cloth is new.

Bosence Gallery
Inspiration Gallery
Susan Bosence
Resist Dyeing
Block Printing