An elegant floral discus motif evolves in this exquisite gerinsing, or Indonesian sarong. Designed as a wall hanging, the piece exemplifies Ni Luh Suryati's delicate traditional designs. These cloths are believed to hold magical and protective powers, often forming part of the village's ritual costume. A mahogany wood rod tastefully displays the tapestry in any setting. The spectacular geringsing textiles of Bali are elaborated using the double ikat method. Ikat means to knot in Indonesian and Malay, and it is a time-consuming process known only to a handful of weavers around the world. Hand-spun cotton is initially dyed an eggshell-yellow hue using the oil of the kemiri nut, before the weaver determines which sections of the thread are to be dyed with what colors. She binds bunches of the fabric together with raffia, creating a tight knot resistant to the dyes in which the piece is to be placed. This process is carried out for each successive color, as the artisan uses natural extracts, such as indigo for the blue tones and root barks for the spectacular vermilion hue. A simple handloom is employed to execute the weave.
