MANUAL

on
TRADITIONAL TEXTILES AND
EMBROIDERIES OF INDIA

A Manual on

TRADITIONAL TEXTILES AND

EMBROIDERIES OF INDIA

Dr. MEENU SRIVASTAVA Dr. SUDHA BABEL

Professor Professor

Dr. RUPAL BABEL Dr. SONU MEHTA

Dr.Meenu Srivastava
Assistant Professor Dr. Sudha
GuestBabel
Faculty

Dr. Rupal Babel Dr. Sonu Mehta

A Manual on
Department of Textiles and Apparel Designing
Manual on
College of Community and Applied Sciences
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology
Udaipur
 TRADITIONAL TEXTILES AND
EMBROIDERIES OF INDIA

Dr. MEENU SRIVASTAVA Dr. SUDHA BABEL

Professor Professor

Dr. RUPAL BABEL Dr. SONU MEHTA

Assistant Professor Guest Faculty

DEPARTMENT OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL DESIGNING

College Of Community and Applied Sciences
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Raj.)
 A Manual on

TRADITIONAL TEXTILES AND

EMBROIDERIES OF INDIA

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Course No. : ______________ Credit hrs. ______

Course Title : ________________________________

Year : _________ Semester :______

Department of Textiles and Apparel Designing

COLLEGE OF COMMUNITY AND APPLIED SCIENCES
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and
Technology, Udaipur (Raj.)
 DEPARTMENT OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL DESIGNING
College of Community and Applied Sciences
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur

Certificate
Certified that Miss/Mrs. __________________________________________ of

________________ class of this college has satisfactorily carried out the work

assigned to her during _________ Semester year _______________.

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Date : ______________________

Head of the Department

 CONTENT

S.No. Topic Page No Sig.

1. Introduction about Traditional Embroideries of India 1

2. Kantha of Bengal 2

3. Embroidery of Gujarat 6

4. Embroidery of Rajasthan 11

5. Kasuti of Karnataka 15

6. Chikankari of Uttar Pradesh 19

7. Phulkari of Punjab 23

8. Kashida of Kashmir 27

9. Introduction about Woven Textiles of India 31

10. Patola of Gujarat 43

11. Kalamkari of Andhra Pradesh 45

12. Madhubani of Bihar 47

13. Ikat of Orrisa 49

14. Bandhini of Rajasthan. 51

 INTRODUCTION

Embroidery is a beautiful thread work on variety of fabrics. This makes the fabric more attractive.
Women are the pioneer in creating excellent and delicate embroidered garments since ancient times.
Due to its wide diversity in people & customs, we find wide variety in embroidery. Decorating cotton,
silk, wool & velvet cloth with various types of stitches & customary colours and making the garment to
look beautiful & attractive.
Fashion is vicious circle–keep on changing its trend from time to time, place to place & people to people.
However this change has hardly tapped the beauty of the traditional embroidery of any state. In fact in
today’s world, the traditional motifs, colour & technique have occupied almost a permanent base in the
field of textiles. It is true that many of the natural, stylized & geometrical designs used in todays textile
designing have been taken from the traditionally based motifs.
The taste for embroidered garments on the modern society is increasing demand due to the fast changing
fashion & their gracious look. Some of the traditional embroidery need to be popularized & develop into
an industrial craft in order to save the reminiscent beauty of the past & everlasting art.
Therefore an attempt has been made to prepare a manual for students to help them in understanding the
traditional embroidery of some states like Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kashmir, Punjab etc.
 KANTHA OF BENGAL

The traditional folk art of Bengal is famous as Kantha which means ‘Patched cloth’ and special significance of
Kantha is quilting. There are two types of embroideries. In the first type the old and discarded cotton
saris or cloth is piled up on the top of each other quilted and embroidered. And the other type was
quilted by using the discarded cotton bed spreads and the pictorial embroideries was done with Tussar
silk threads.
Kantha stands as a model for skilled certainty. Because this fantastic embroidered piece is revived by
utilizing the worn-out textiles. The layers of pieces are sewn together by simple darning stitch in white
thread. The design is first traced and the filling is done by coloured threads taken from the coloured
borders of saris.
Place – Kanthas were produced in Hugli, Patna, Satagon, Jessore, Faridpur, Khulna and other parts of East
and West Bengal.
Style – The Needle work is done by original darning stitch along with satin and loop stitches. There are two
modes of working. In the first style, the embroidery starts from the centre and ends by outlining the motif
or vice-versa. However the embroidery gives rich textural effect by adding traditional colours like-black,
deep blue and red which symbolize the nature, earth, sky and space respectively.
Motif- The motifs are composed of heterogeneous objects like various types of Lotus flowers, Mandala,
Satdalee, Padma, Trees, Creepers, Foliages, Floral, Scrolls, Kalkas animal figures, Human figures, Spirals
whirls, Birds, Fish boat, Submarine sceneries ships, Pitcher mermaids, various Sea monsters comb, Mirror,
Nut, Umbrella chariot palanquin etc.
Lotus is the most common and important motif widely used in kantha. An all over pattern of lotus may
have the petals of red alternating with black petals. Black thread is used to give either out line for the
design or sometimes filled with the stitches of the same colour. A couple of tantric motifs like ‘vajra’ the
thander bolt ‘swastick’ were used along with the spiral whirls, representing the eternal life cycle.

Original Kantha
The Original Kantha is double faced where the design appeared identical on either sides of the quilt. The
great length of stitch is broken into tiny tackings which give almost a dotted appearance on either sides of
the quilt like ‘Do rukha.’ Sometimes the embroidery is so finely done that it is very difficult to identify the
wrong side.
Kinds of Kantha
There are different kinds of Kantha named according to its utility. According to ‘Jasleen Dhamija’
there are seven types of Kantha used as wrappers in winter, books valuable, mirrors combs, wallets,
pillows and bed spreads
1. Arshilata – is used as cover or wrap for mirror, comb and other such toilet articles.
2. Bayton – a three feet square piece serves as a wrap for books and other similar valuables. It has a
central motif usually the lotus with hundred petals called ‘satadala Padma’
3. Durjyani – is also known as thaile. It is a square piece Kantha. This has an embroidered border of a
lotus in centre, people, leaves, serpents and objects from nature are embroidered.
4. Lape Kantha – It is a thick quilted wrap used in winter as a shawl or a cover to make it thick. Large
number of saree layers are arranged one on top of the other and designs are usually geometrical
and they are worked in running stitch.
5. Doar – The Kantha serves as a pillow cover. It is a rectangular piece, whose size is about 2 feet by 1.5 feet.
6. Sujani – The most popular and striking kantha is the sujani. Generally large rectangular piece of three
feet by six feet used us a spread during ceremonial occasion.
7. Rumal – It is nothing but a hand kerchief, smallest among all the kantha.

Designs of Kantha
 EXERCISE-1

Draw three designs of Kantha

 EXERCISE-2

Prepare a sample of Kantha embroidery

 EMBROIDERY OF GUJRAT

Gujarat the state situated in the western part of India, is famous for the
embroidery of Kutch and Kathiawar. The peasant, tribal and ladies of other community residing in the
villages have maintained their tradition, culture and rich heritage through various styles of embroideries,
i.e, it can be said here that greatest contribution to the Indian embroidery is from Gujarat state, precisely
from Kutch and Kathiawar. However, the beauty lies in the rich designs, variety of motifs and stitches.

I. KUTCH EMBROIDERY

It is believed that the Kutch embroidery was taught to ‘Mochis’, the shoemakers around 300 years ago by
a Muslim Phakeer of Sindh. However, Kutch embroidery has the foundation of various clans viz Ahirs,
Kanbis, Mochis and Rabaris.

AHIR BHARAT

The ladies of Ahir families, embroidered their traditional costumes during their off season. Ahir is the
hooked needle with the help of which the embroidery was executed and appeared exactly like chain
stitch. The embroidery is not only skillful stitchery but talented in developing designs, preparing pattern,
drawing and tracing the same on the fabric.

The base material used was hand spun and hand woven coarse Khadder on which a series of loops leading
to chain stitch using Ahir along with abundant application of mirrors were observed. At present the
embroidery is done on silk, or the locally manufactured satin fabric, the gaggi silk, or a silky satin fabric.

KANBI BHARAT

The embroidery thread is cotton of yellow, orange, green, white and purple colours. The basic stitches
employed are darning for out lining and herring bone for filling. The designs in Kanbi Bharat are distinct
and have the influence of Percian art. They use the similar motifs as others but the specific ones are the
sunflower and kevada, the cactus flower. Kanbi folk are religious, orthodox and believe in worshipping the
domestic animals like bullocks, the second lung of the cultivators

MOCHI BHARAT
It is similar to Ahir Bharat, where the thread is pulled from the bottom to the top with the help of Ahir,
creating loops and the successive leads to a continuous line of chain stitch. On large surface areas like
household textiles, many highly stylized flowers bushes, dancing doll, peacock, human figures are seen.
Mochi Bharat, though appears simple, needs thorough, continuous practice to achieve efficiency. It is
elaborate embroidery usually incorporated for filling work, thus time consuming. The ground fabric is satin
and articles embroidered are choli, ghagra, toran, borders etc.

RABARI WORK

Their embroidery is relatively effective, impressive, and attractive, usually done on hand-spun, hand-
woven khaddar or khadi material of maroon colour. This craft has no definite design, it appeared some
what like appliqué work. Canopies, door curtains, partitions wall decorations and other household articles
were prepared. The motifs comprised of beautiful birds, flora, and fauna, human figures and so on.

II. KATHIAWARI

This embroidery is very similar to kutch embroidery.

Articles- Used in decorating ghagra and choli, use of small mirror a predominate feature of the
embroidery. One of the polarities of kathiaurr is that the base is sometimes composed of combination of
strips of material stitched together to form paneus.

Heer Bharat- Literal meaning is thread filling embroidery it is done with double satin stitch herring bone
stitch, interlacing and button hole. Some work is also seen in Rajasthan, resembles kutch work Phulkari
and work of Sindh.

Material – Cotton and woolen fabric which may be handmade or mill made from light to medium for choli
and heavy weight for snarls and coves culled Dhabra.

Colours – Background red, deep blue, brown, blue being most common embroidery is done with yellow
white green crimson, black and blue untwisted flows thread which is used.

Stitches- Here embroidery take stitch along wrap and craft & if owns along the woven structure of fabric
thus creating interesting extending texture. Stem stitch and double running stitch is also used some time
very long stitches extending till 1” to fill the motif mirrors of various shapes and sizes fixed at different
places. Earlier embroidery worked out pattern from but now if is block printed.
Motifs - Use of motif is restricted only geometrical highly stylizes birds and motifs lots of triangles
logeages. Pyramid worked around borders and in center designs from file of women and used of camel
floral etc.

MIRROR WORK

It is the mirror work embroidery very popular in Gujarat and the patterns are created with fixing of small
round shaped mirrors into material with button hole stitch. The design to be embroidered is first sketched
out with hand. The portion where mirrors has to be stitched is shown by a small circle and rest of
embroidery is done with stem, chain and herring bone stitch. Silken thread is used for embroidery.

Colours- Bright rich colour like red, green, dark pink (magenta) indigo, blue etc. is used.

Motifs – Flowers creepers etc and sometime rows of mirrors and worked together to from a pattern
articles embroidered.

Articles – Apparel items ghagra, choli, articles for home textiles are also made.

Chain Stitch – This kind to embroidery is seen in Bhavnagar. Stitch are tiny and motives are rich in
imagination horse with a rider a palanquin, a lady women displaying her skirt a girl holding a flower,
bag, flying kite etc. over all pattern is obtained by chain stitch and running and utilized to emphasize a
face or hand or particular part of a figure or to show keenness of an eye or to show rising sun or setting
half moon.
Embroidery Designs of Gujarat
 EXERCISE-3

Draw three embroidery designs of Gujarat

 EXERCISE-4

Prepare a sample of Gujarati embroidery

 EMBROIDERY OF RAJASTHAN

I. Folk Embroidery:
Large varieties of folk embroidery are practiced in different districts of Rajasthan and it is impossible to
trace the history and origin of this art.

The Main Stitches employed in folk embroidery are –

1. Mochi Bharat – It is also known as chain stitch prevalent in Barmer district a predominant stitch
from kutch of Gujarat.

2. Heer Bharat – Heer Bharat is nothing but filling the design with thread work. This filling is done
either by button hole stitch or long and short stitch.

3. Applique work – Marwari Community of Rajasthan i.e. expert in appliqué art. Rajasthan Applique
work is similar to the patch work of kathiawar the katal.

4. Jaisalmer Applique work – The quilts made by patch work known as Ralli producing Jaisalmer.
Which is nothing but the quilt made by sewing several layers of old fabric.

5. Moti Bharat – It is nothing but a bead work. Originated in India somewhere in the middle of
nineteenth century.

II. Religions Embroidery:

Rajasthan is embroidered with numerous religious shrines and temples of saries and vaishnawas during
religious festivals and ceremonial accessions.

1. Pichhavi Embroidery – Nathdwara a place near Udaipur has Vallaba Sampradaya of Vaishnav is an
important center of pichhavi embroidery.

2. Jain Embroidery – Jains occupy the main trading population of Rajasthan where Jain temples at
Dilwara and Ranakpur very famous, is important centre for Jain embroidery.

III. Court Embroidery:

The pioneers of court embroidery are the Mughals who spread this art to the courts of various states. So
also in the Palaces of Jaipur and Jodhpur of Rajasthan.

1. Gota work –it is nothing but weaving the borders with gold and silver thread also known as
‘Badla work’.

2. Salma work – The Mughals loves rich glossy embellishment have strongly influenced the salma work
(the gold and silver thread work) predominantly existing in jaipur.

3. Thread work – Untwisted silk floss pat of green, red, pink, black are used for hand stitchery done on
white muslin a light weight material sometimes layered together to give an effect of quilt.

Embroidery Designs of Rajasthan

 EXERCISE-5

Draw three embroidery designs of Rajasthan

 EXERCISE-6

Prepare a sample of Rajasthan embroidery

 KASUTI OF KARNATAKA

Kasuti is a world famous embroidery of Karnataka state earlier was known as

Mysore state, the motifs and art is a part of women’s world. Kasuti work is traditionally done all along the
border and red coloured tope-teri seragu the elaborate pallav and body of the sari. The motifs of butties in
the body of the sari became smaller in size and the number gradually decreased to wards the pleats of the
sari. That is to say, each sari can have as many as sixty to seventy motifs, repeated in variety of colours, all
over the body and pallav.

The motifs used in kasuti embroidery ranged from mythological and architectural to the beautiful flora
and fauna, i.e.. gopuras, palanquin, chariot, shiva-linga, bull (Nandi), tiger, lamp stand, crown of Shiva
(Shivana Basinga), swastika, sun, surya mukhi, conch shell, asanas, Rama’s cradle, snake (Naga devta),
elephant, horse, tulsi vrundavan, Hanuman etc. Apart from steeds of Shiva and Laxmi, squirrel, parrot,
sparrow, peacock, cock, duck, pigeon, swan, deer are also seen. Various types of foliages creepers, flowers
are however, used in this embroidery. The main ones are lotus chrysanthemum, jasmine, rui-phool (cotton
flower), cashew nut (Kalka), grapes, kevada, kalawar, diamond, badam berseed, black bead, maggihua,
marigold, coconut flower, sparrows eye rudraksha, tulsi leaf, brinjal seed, cardamom, chess swuare,
flower pot. etc.

Stitches in Kasuti are always vertical, horizontal and diagonal. The main specialty of this embroidery is that
the design is not traced on the material to be embroidered starts with a tiny back stitch. The stitches are
simple, minute, intricate and pretty. The four types of stitches are Gavanti, Murgi, Negi and Menthi.

1) Gavanti – It is the most simple and common stitch, derived from the Kannada word “Gantu” means
‘knot. It is a double running stitch, in which the first running stitch is filled in by the second running
stitch on the same line. The second running stitch work exactly opposite to the first one. Gavanthi
may be worked in horizontal, vertical of diagonal directions.

2) Murgi – It is a zigzag running stitch which appears like steps of a ladder or staircase. It is same as
gavanti stitch but works in a stepwise manner. The work in both gavanti and murgi stitches are neat
and tidy, where the design appears same on right and wrong side of the material.

3) Negi – It is another stitch in Kasuti. Negi in Kannada means ‘to weave’ i.e. the design with Negi
design has an overall effect of a design. Negi is nothing but ordinary running or darning stitch. It is
worked in long and short straight lines or floats and therefore the design does not appear identical
on either sides of the cloth.

4) Menthi- It is the fourth type of stitch which means the ordinary cross stitch. In Karnataka Menthi
means fenugreek seed but however, people of Karnataka identify the cross stitch.
The colours most frequently used are red, orange, purple, green, and blue. White is predominantly on
black background. The commonly used combinations are red-green, red-blue, red-yellow, red-white,
orange-purple, blue-orange, green-yellow and yellow-white.

Designs of Kasuti
 EXERCISE-7

Draw three designs of Kasuti

 EXERCISE-8

Prepare a sample of Kasuti embroidery

 CHIKANKARI OF UTTAR PRADESH

Chikankari is famous as shadow work. It is a very delicate work of

Lucknow. There are number of tales that narrate about the birth & development of this art. This
embroidery is basically with white thread and with white muslin background. Hence, it is famous also as
white embroidery.
Material – Chikankari though done on the whole muslin background now it is done on fine cotton material
like voile, 2x2, cambray, mulmul ogandy, chiffon, nets and other similar sheer fabrics.
Motifs – The motifs are traced prior to embroidery. The designs are prepared and transferred on the
wooden block with the help of engraved wooden blocks. The designs are impregnated on the material
with washable color by simple stamping technique.
Stitches Use – Chikankari is same thing like unity in diversities i.e – it includes some simple stitches like
satin, back, stem, Button hole and herring bone stitch giving a lustrous effects which is simple, gentle and
subtle.

Types of Chikankari
There are two types of chikankari work style of chikankari work.
1. Flat style
2. Knotted embossed effect
“Bakhia is nothing but satin stitch which is done on the wrong side of the material and the design is
delicately out line with tiny running stitches from the right side. The simplified Bakhia is herring bone
stitch. The stitches that cover the back of cloth is herring bone style gives the shadow effect from the
right side.
Jali Work – Jali work gives an effect of open mesh or net like appearance. This effect is produced by
pushing apart the warp and weft yarns with the help of needle forming into tiny holes and later tightened
to give the cloth firmness and appearance of a net.
Murri – It is a knotted style of chikankari worked in the centre of flowers giving an embossed effect. It is
nothing but French knot who resembles the rice grain is shape.
Phanda – It is another types of chikankari it resembles millet and gives a raised effect.
Taipachi – It is simple running stitch used to fill the straight or curved lines in the floral design. It is a flat
style. The motifs employed are flowers creepers, foliage, streams, fruits – like mango almond birds,
peacock, parrot etc.
This the motif have been picked up from the surrounding nature.
Deigns of Chikankari
 EXERCISE-9

Draw three designs of Chikankari

 EXERCISE-10

Prepare a sample of Chikankari embroidery

 PHULKARI OF PUNJAB

Phulkari is analysed as ‘Phul’, flower and ‘kari’ work i.e. floral work or flowering. it
is a special , traditional hand work mainly found in Gurgaon, Hissar, Rohtak, Karnal and Delhi. However, in
West Punjab this embroidery is famous as ‘Bagh’, means garden, in which the entire surface of the shawl
is decorated as phulkari and chope.
Materials Used : The most favored color of the fabric is red and its various shads – because bagh and
phulkaris were mostly used during marriages and religious and other festivals other colors used were
brown, blue in various shades of black and white. Darker shades were preferred only for daily wear white
cloth was employed for bagh mount for the use of elderly ladies.
Thread : Soft floss silk yarn called ‘pat’ was used for embroidery it is fluffy to touch and ling to the fingers
particularly in summers. Hence it regaired a little care while handling it. The colors generally employed
were yellow, red, orange, blue, violet, green dark, brown and white.
Stitches: Although darning stitch is the main stitch used in embroidery. Double running stitch or chain
stitch is used to from on outline of the figures of human beings animals birds etc. but the space is
generally filled with darning and sometimes with satin stitches also satin stitch is also used in single or
double raw embroider the edges or to from a part of side border the green lines embroidered on the
ground for defining the limits of pattern are done in herring bone stitch for finishing the edges blanket.
Stitch or button hole stitch is used sometimes running stitch is also used.

Kinds of Phulkari
1. Chope – It is used by women on auspicious occasions like marriage. It is embroidered on a red cloth.
2. Suber – This is a phulkari worn by bride at the time of actors marriage ceremony i.e. when the ferras
are perform with base red and darning stitched embroidery in golden yellow.
3. Saloo – It is a home given to plain red chadar worn for daily wear in house it has floral booties for
apart from the house.
4. Til patra – It literally means sprinkling of sea – same or till seals it is a sparsely or very lightly
embroidered phulkari very small dots worked on field.
5. Nilak – This is the name of phulkari having blue background and embroidery is done in yellow or
crimson silk flows providing a glaring but attractive contrast to the back ground.
6. Shishadar Phulkari – As the name suggested the phulkari has mirror pieces attached on to the fabric.
7. Thirma – It could be a bagh phulkari. It was the specialty of the hinder women. So, it was the essential
part of true or young Hindu girls.
8. Sainchi – Depicts the true rural life where the motif are being outlined before embroidery the plain
red or black palla used as or wrapper for daily wear is known as sainshi.
9. Bagh – The names are based on the purpose and the motives. The embroidery they use is generally
one colour with other contrasting shades in small proportions. Generally on main motif is repeated by
variation in the placement.
10. Ghoongat- Specially of Rawalpindi area. The name ghoongat has been given as the bagh has a large
triangle patch of embroidery on portion which covers the face when will is drawn its embroidery is
elaborate. The pallu of bagh has one or three rows embroidered in various geometrical designs.
Ghoongat bagh was worked with yellow colour and pallu was in multicolours.

Designs of Phulkari
 EXERCISE-11

Draw three designs of Phulkari embroidery

 EXERCISE-12

Prepare a sample of Phulkari embroidery

 KASHIDA OF KASHMIR

The best known of Indian embroidery is the Kashida of Kashmir and its carpet
industry is world famous. Kashida on Kashmir shawls are recognized for their beauty, colour, motifs, artistic,
appearance and texture.
Woven shawl industry was flourished by zain-ul- Abidin during fifteenth century, who identified, selected,
and bought the most talented craftsman and weavers from Persia to revive the existing art. These
craftsman brought new phase in the craftsmanship by introducing and molding the whole composition,
structure and style of shawl by employing new motifs and stitches with various colour combinations.
Fabric – The ground fabric on which embroidery done is composed of various types of wool like
Pashmina, Shahtoosh, Aslitus, varieties of silk, cotton, chinon and linen. Usually the embroidery is done on
the undyed material of white or cream background.
Fabric – The ground fabric on which embroidery done is composed o various types of wool like Pashmina,
shahtoosh, aslitus, varieties of silk, cotton, chinon and silk. Usually the embroidery is done on the undyed
material of white or cream background. However, according to the demand of the consumers the mill
made fabrics are dyed in darker shades such as black, navy blue, brown, bottle green, maroon and so on.
Threads – Mainly pashmina i.e. silk or very fine pashmia yarns. Now a days cotton and Rayon are more in
use on shawls whereas on other things silk is used warp of silk for good quality in Jama work.
Stitches – Sozni, Sozni Dorakha, Zalakdozi, Vagnic, Teb. Tehrir. Taropa Job, Doria, Rafugari, Good kund,
Amla teb etc.
Colours – Background was in pastels – cream, white, pista green dark Jet Black, Red, yellow, brown being
more popular. Fabric dyed locally by vegetable colour by dryer, cream becomes most popular colour.
Motifs – All from nature, fruit, leaves, flowers, birds, etc.
Designs are inspired by nature. Design can be realistic symbolic and stylized.
Designs of Kashida
 EXERCISE-13

Draw three designs of Kashmiri Kashida

 EXERCISE-14

Prepare a sample of Kashmiri Kashida

 WOVEN TEXTILES OF INDIA

Introduction
The origin of Indian Textiles is hidden in history. India has one of the richest traditions of woven textiles
made from different materials, and a variety of techniques are used for weaving. Yarns are made from
natural fibers like cotton; wool and silk are woven to make cloth or textile that can be embellished by
painting, printing or embroidery. Banaras Brocade represents one of such woven textile.
Cotton cultivation and its use in weaving originated in India. The very nature of the cotton fiber allowed
the fiber to be spun into very fine yarn which led to the Banaras Brocade development of a highly refined
technique of super fine cotton fabrics being woven. The Indian craftsmen have practiced diverse arts such
as weaving, dyeing and decorating textiles for nearly 5000 years since Indus valley citizens. Different
regions of the country have their distinctive style and technique. Even within the region there are
variation in style of weaving and designs, which have been retained because the distinct cultural
traditions. The manner in which the genius of the Indian weavers was to express itself in cotton, silk and
wool have been determined by different types of country site, the climate which made certain crops
possible, the distribution of desert, forests and the presence of minerals, salts and water.
A handloom saree is often woven on a shuttle- pit loom made from ropes, wooden beams and poles. The
shuttle in the thrown from side to side by the weaver. Other weavers use a fly- shuttle loom which can
produce different types of patterns. The sarees can vary in size and quality. Generally handloom saree
weaving is a family enterprise and one of India’s cottage industries. The handloom sarees are made from
silk or cotton threads. Traditionally all the process of thread dyeing and warping were outsourced and
sizing, attaching the warp, weft winding and weaving were done by the weavers. it is important to
understand the complex process that play a major role behind in weaving handloom sarees and the final
product which we get to buy from shops, but with time the scenario has changed. Most of the activities
are known out sourced.
Some of the well-known Indian handloom sarees are Kanchepuram silk saree, Maheshwari saree, Bagh
print saree, Chanderi silk saree, Tasr silk saree, Banarsi silk saree, Baluchuri sarees, Sambalpuri sarees,
Kantha stitch sarees, Bhadhini saree and Munga sarees, handloom sarees are made out of good quality
silks to give it a lustrous look.
 EXERCISE-15

Collect the sample of any three woven Textiles of India

 EXERCISE-16

Draw the traditional motif from textiles of India and then convert it into
contemporary motif for fashion apparel
Design 1

Traditional Motif

Traditional Motif
 EXERCISE-17
Contemporary Motifs

Draw the traditional motif from textiles of India and then convert it into
contemporary motif for fashion apparel
Design 2

Traditional Motif

Traditional Motif

Contemporary Motifs
 EXERCISE-18

Draw the traditional motif from textiles of India and then convert it into
contemporary motif for fashion apparel
Design 3

Traditional Motif

Traditional Motif

Contemporary Motifs
 EXERCISE-19

Draw the traditional motif from textiles of India and then convert it into
contemporary motif for fashion apparel
Design 4

Traditional Motif

Traditional Motif

Contemporary Motifs
 PATOLA OF GUJRAT

It is a double Ikat fabric specifically made in silk. So highly priced and considered
as status symbol in Gujarat.
Warping - The complicated patola weaving procedure is tedious and laborious. It is possible to complete
25cm of cloth a day. Work is always done from right side to left side. Person most skilled in weaving is
used to pass the shuttle from right to left. Warp is starched before weaving. After weaving warp is rubbed
against a steel rod. The quantity of yarn prepared at one time is usually enough for weaving of three sares
i.e. about 20 yards of cloth.
Colours- Generally the patola yarn is first dyed with red colour and all portions being required
remain white.
Motives and Design – Leaf forms, geometrical form. Floral form, flowering plants, creepers, animal and
human figures.
1. Pan Bhat – It has pan shaped leaves in the main field and the cross rows.
2. Ratan Chok Bhat – It means jewels square design.
3. Nari Kunjar Bhat – It mean female demur and a elephant.
4. Phulwa Bhat – Main field is characterized by plant with five petalled flowers enclosed in
compartments.

Designs of Patola
EXERCISE-20

Collect samples of Patola

 KALAMKARI OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Kalamkari is a form of resist printing where printing is done with a kalam using free hand technique.The
most important places producing kalam karis are Masulipatan and Srikalasthi in Andhra.
Motifs- They vary according to their end use. They have mythological designs mehrab, tree of life etc.
Method – The tool used in South India to paint the culicues is the kalam or the brush. The cloth is first
bleached in cow dung solution. The black printing is done by using alum mordants. Reaction of iron
acetate with the tannin produces black colour and reaction of alum mordent with madder produces red
colour. The part of the cloth not required to be dyed further colors are covered with a resist generally
bees wax, which is melted and applied with the brush. The fabric is then dyed to colour the parts not
covered with the resist. This process is repeated again and again to produce all the colours of a complete
pattern. After the cloth has been dyed in all the required colours it is treated with alum solution to fix the
colours and lastly the wax is removed with boiling water.

Designs of Kalamkari
 EXERCISE-21

Prepare a design of Kalamkari

 MADHUBANI OF BIHAR

Madhubani painting or Mithila painting is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar
state, India and the adjoining parts of Terai in Nepal.As Madhubani painting has remained confined to a
compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style
have largely remained the same. Madhubani paintings also use two dimensional image, and the colors used
are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.
Madhubani paintings mostly depict nature and Hindu religious motifs, and the themes generally revolve
around Hindu deities like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Natural objects like the sun,
the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court
and social events like weddings. Generally no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of
flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. Traditionally, painting was one of the skills that was
passed down from generation to generation in the families of the Mithila Region, mainly by women. The
painting was usually done on walls during festivals, religious events, and other milestones of the life-cycle
such as birth, Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony), and marriage.

Designs of Madhubani
 EXERCISE-22

Prepare a design of Madhubani

 IKAT OF ORRISA

In India ikat is known as Bandha in Orrissa, Bandhani in Rajasthan, Pochampalli in

Andhra Pradesh & Patola in Gujrat. Some are from term tying, while some others from place of
production. However in textile term it is commonly known as Ikat.
Single Ikat - In standard loom two sets of yarn are presented. Here only warp or only weft is tie-dyed
and the other is left in plain colour e.g. of warp Ikat is mahru fabric in India Ikats of Orissa are mainly
weft fabrics.
Double Ikat- Warp and weft both are tie-dyed at some point. Very clear design like a dyed pattern or a
print eyes sharp pattern from Gujarat. It is most tedious process and yardage cannot be made.
Combined Ikat- Part of design is in warp some in weft and rest may have a combination of design (warp +
double weft + double ikat) e.g. Tulia Rumal Pochampalli of Andhra Pradesh and Suktur sarees of orissa.

Designs of Ikat
EXERCISE-23

Collect samples of Ikat

 BANDHANI OF RAJASTHAN
Bandhani work involves tying and dyeing of pieces of cotton or silk
cloth. The main colours used in Bandhani are yellow, red, green and black. Bandhani work, after the
processing is over, results into a variety of symbols including, dots, squares, waves and strips. Bandhani
pieces can be dyed by natural and artificial colors. The main colours used in Bandhani are natural. In fact
all colours in bandhani are dark, no light color is used, and the background is mostly in black / red cloth.
Traditionally, the final products can be classified into "Khombi", "Ghar Chola", "Patori", "Chandrokhani"
etc. Bhuj and Mandvi of Kutch District of Gujarat State in India are well known for the finest quality of
bandhani. Saurashtra region of Gujarat state in India are also known for the Bandhani work but the taste
of bandhani is different from other district. Bandhani work is also done in Rajasthan state but having
different types of colors and designs than the Kutch and Saurashtra of Gujarat. There are thousands of
families are relying on this handicraft work in Gujarat and Rajasthan. This bandhani work is very attractive
and used in many of the other garment accessories as well

Gujarat Rajasthan

Malmal Gujji Silk

Lipai technique is not done use of lipai technique more prominent

Places

Sourashtra Kutch, Jamnagar, Bhuj and Mandvi Sikar Bikaner Jodhpur, Jaipur

Dark Colour are preferred Light colours are preferred

Articles – One finds Bandhini more often in fabrics like sarees and in turban pieces and these are
associated with rituals and festivals.

Design –
1. Veer Bhait Bhat – Gift from brother to sister on Raksha Bandhan.
2. Pomcha Palli- Yellow ground bandhini worn by young or new mothers.
3. Dongor Shahi odhani – Which is used to come on shoulders when draped.
4. Ghar Cholas – This is traditionally used as odhani for the brides.
5. Chandrokhari or moonlit design.
6. Raas mandali – Traditional dandia raas motif worked along central mandalina or border edges.
7. Shikari – Only animals and birds.
8. Phulwari – Only floral.
9. Baavan Bagh – It had fifty two compartment floral motives are inside these square compartments.

Designs of Bandhni
 EXERCISE-24

Prepare two samples of Bandhani