We're passionate about fabric at Sew Me Sunshine. Here's our guide to Indian block printing, and tips on how to care for this type of fabric.
WHAT IS INDIAN BLOCK PRINTING?
Indian block printing is a method of printing on fabric using carved blocks and dyes or inks. Most are printing on a lightweight cotton fabric but they can be used on a wide range of fabrics. The hand of the artisan is seen in the block printing making them beautiful and unique due to the tiny variations and imperfections. Dabu block print fabric, Sanganeri block print fabric, Ajrakh block print fabric, and Shibori block print fabric are just a few examples of the diverse range of block printed fabrics available today. To read more about the different techniques head on over to this article in Vogue India.
HISTORY OF INDIAN BLOCK PRINTING
The process of Indian block printing goes back thousands of years, and it flourished during the Mughal Empire in the 16th to 18th centuries. Historically Rajasthan is seen as the block printing centre. You can read a little bit more into the history of Indian Block Printing in this Vogue India article.
PROCESS OF INDIAN BLOCK PRINTING
- Wooden blocks are hand-carved. This process can take 10-15 days to perfect
- Fabric is washed free of starch, and if it is dyed it is washed to remove excess colour
- Fabric is dried in the sun
- Fabric is pinned on a printing table to ensure it is taut
- The blocks are dipped in the colour and pressed on the fabric. This process is repeated over and over until the length is complete
- If multiple colours are required, other blocks are used and the artisan waits for the first print to dry
- Once the print is finished and dry the fabric is steamed, washed and ironed
Image from Indian Block Printing Company Tribal Colours showing an image of Ramesh Ji an artisan in crafting wooden blocks for block printing.
CARING FOR INDIAN BLOCK PRINT FABRIC
- Pre-wash your fabric before sewing with it to avoid fabric shrinkage
- Wash fabrics separately. You may wish to continue washing your garment separately if the print uses strong colours
- To avoid colour fading or bleeding soak the fabric in a mix of cold water and salt for 30 minutes before washing or alternatively you can add salt to your washing machine cycle
- You could opt to hand wash your fabric, but if you wish to use a washing machine then use a gentle cycle or hand wash cycle at 30 degrees and use a non-biological washing power or liquid
- Use a colour catcher in your washing machine
- When pre-washing the length of fabric a good tip is to safety pin each end of the fabric length together or sew each end together to form a long loop. This will prevent the fabric twisting or bunching up during the wash cycle
- Do not tumble dry your fabric
- Make sure you dry your fabric preferably flat and not in direct sunlight
- Do not wring or twist your fabric to squeeze out excess water
- Iron your fabric on the wrong side and consider using a pressing cloth. Do not use lots of steam
- Store your fabric in a cool dry place away from sunlight
- Remember your fabric print will fade over time and the print may bleed but this is part of the natural charm of these types of fabric
TIPS FOR SEWING WITH THESE COTTON FABRICS:
Our Indian Hand Block Print fabrics are on a high quality lightweight 100% cotton fabric. Below are some tips for sewing with cotton fabric.
- Cotton fabrics are prone to shrinking so always pre-wash your fabric prior to cutting it out and sewing with it. Please see above for information on caring for Indian hand block print fabric
- The width of Indian hand block print cotton fabrics tend to be narrower. Ours are 110cm / 43". So you need to go by the narrower cutting requirements when looking at your sewing pattern
- You need a universal machine needle - the size of the needle depends on the weight of the cotton fabric
- Cotton tends to be a stable fabric so it is unlikely to slip around when cutting it out, this means you can cut it on multiple layers, however, make sure you take note of any print direction before cutting out your project and make sure that all pattern pieces are laid out in the same direction
- Use sharp scissors and sharp pins when cutting out cotton fabric
- A regular sewing machine foot is needed
- Regular sewing machine thread is needed
- Use a regular straight stitch when sewing straight seams - set the stitch length between 2 or 2.5. 2.5 is good for medium weight cottons, and 2 is good for lighter weight cottons
- Cut edges of cotton and seams will fray if they are left unfinished. They can be finished with a overlocker, simple zig zag stitch, or you can opt to use French seams (this is a sewing technique where the raw fabric edges are encased within the seam itself which creates a neat and durable finish)
- For lining your Indian block print fabric you want to opt for a smooth fabric like a viscose/rayon or silk. For underlining a bodice for example a plain cotton lawn is a good option.
SEWING PROJECTS FOR INDIAN HAND BLOCK COTTON FABRICS:
Indian block print cotton fabrics are versatile and can be used for lots of different sewing projects. Being a lightweight cotton they gather really well so you can opt for garments with tiers or gathering, they also pleat beautifully too. Here are a few examples:
- Floaty dresses and skirts
- Shirts
- Shirt dresses
- Blouses
- Wide legged relaxed trousers and shorts
- Pyjamas
- Accessories such as hair scrunchies
- Home accessories such as napkins and tablecloths
- Linings
- Can be quilted to make a quilted jacket, vest or even a bag
---------------