We're passionate about fabric at Sew Me Sunshine. Here's our guide to Indian screen printing, and tips on how to care for this type of fabric.
WHAT IS INDIAN SCREEN PRINTING?
Screen printing is a method of printing on fabric. First a stencil is made on a fine mesh screen, this stencil blocks ink from passing through certain areas which creates the desired design. The impermeable areas are created with the help of photographic emulsion. The screen is then stretched over a frame and ink is placed on top. A squeege is used to push the ink through the open areas of the screen onto the fabric. The number of screens needed for a design depends on the amount of colours used. Heat curing may be required to fix the design.
Screen printing is seen as a more modern technique as it is faster than traditional block printing. Like block printing you can still see imperfections and variations which makes each fabric unique and special. 
Image sourced from Pinterest.
HISTORY OF INDIAN SCREEN PRINTING
The process of Indian screen printing was first used in India in the 4th century during the Gupta dynasty. It remains an important part of India's cultural heritage. Artisans carry on this process to create beautiful textiles and apparel.
CARING FOR INDIAN SCREEN 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 Screen 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 screen print fabric
- The width of Indian screen 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 screen 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 SCREEN PRINTED COTTON FABRICS:
Indian screen 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
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