Blue Calico

Blue Calico
 
　
The fact that Chinese used cotton to weave cloth can date back to the beginning of the Christian ear. In the late thirteenth century,Huang Daopo,the lady from Songjiang country of Shanghai learned the technology cotton spinning in Hainan and then spread it in the Jiangnan area. Meanwhile,the dyeing technology of blue cloth with desin in white, was developed,know as "Blue Calico". It was widely used bu the common people in China. But, due to its singularity in colour, the cloth maker paid more attention to the pattern design. With the characteristic of the single colour and varied patterns,it is by no means inferior to the colourful damasse brocade.
Though blue calico is not as nauble as silk, form the artistic perspective, they could match each other. By comparison with the blue and white porcelains since the Song dynasty, the similarity between them in charm and style is obvious. But blue calico has its firm fold roots and gives off the fragrance of simplicity.
Main process
1 Cut wood blocks ---> 2 Starching ------> 3 Dye ------> 4 Dry in the sun ------> 5 products