Block Printing in India

Printing Block Printing began in the middle of the third millennium B.C. in an area now called Rajasthan India.  Artisans use harvested teakwood to be carved, soaked in olive oil (for about 10 days), and then dried in the sun. This same process continues today!  How crazy is this?  Our photos in the workshop look a little "green" and we weren't quite sure what caused this reaction.  Maybe special lighting? Artisans are paid by piecework, and since this process requires direct sunlight, the workshop closes down for several months (July - October) for monsoon season.  

Lower left of the photo shows the teakwood carved blocks that were used to create this design on cotton fabric.

Design with only one color stamped on fabric.  

Photo of ink and carved teakwood blocks.

This is the showroom where all the colorful fabrics are displayed for sale.  I had a choice between all cotton, all silk, or a combination of silk and cotton.  Silk was rather pricey, but well worth the cost for the quality offered.

Up-close photo of the teakwood block that was used on the sample fabric.

Small sample of stamped fabric that was drying.

I wish our photo illustrated how vibrant the colors were on the fabric.  I promise you, they were dramatic and fabulous!

So (sew) much fabric, so little money!  :}

Cotton white fabric was being tacked down in preparation for the stamping process to begin.