Hand Block Printing Designs on Fabric
The art of handblock printing is all about precision and expertise. To create an exquisite design, there are several pre and post printing processes that must be done to create the design. In this article, we will share all the steps we follow to create each of handblock printed bedsheets and tablecloths using the carved wooden block printing technique.
Step 1: Carving Design on Wood Blocks
The first and possibly the most important step for creating an exquisite design and then transferring it on wood blocks. For handblock printing like the name suggests the blocks are hand carved by artisans on wood. The design is first traced on the blocks and then meticulously hand carved. An artisan can take anywhere 2-8 days to hand carve a single design depending on its complexity. After carving, the woodblock soaked in mustard oil for a week before being ready for printing.
Step 2: Preparing the Fabric for Handblock Printing
All cotton fabrics are washed thoroughly to remove starch and complete the shrinking process. Once washed they are naturally air dried. After drying the fabric is cut into their exact sizes of home linen be it bedsheets or tablecloths, carefully stretched over the printing tables and fastened using pins.
Step 3:Making the Colour for Handblock Printing
Colours used for handblock printing are made using a dash of colour pigment paste, a blender and a colour fixer. After gently mixing these in a bucket, the resultant mixture is then transferred to special wooden trays covered with a jute cloth. Artisans mount these trays on wooden trolleys with wheels for easy of moving them around the printing table.
Step4: Handblock Printing on Fabric
The process of printing starts with the artisan evenly spreading the colour on the tray with a rectangular metal spatula. A design is printed starting from the border moving inwards towards the centre of the home linen piece. The artisans must dip each individual block in the requisite colour and repeatedly stamp it on the fabric with precision starting with outlines to complete a single element of design on the entire home linen piece. A complete hand block printed design can comprise of 4-10 colours and blocks. Each piece of home linen takes 8-10 hours to be completely printed!
STEP 5: Finishing the Handblock Printed Home linen
Once the entire design has been printing on the fabric, the handblock printed home linen is removed from the printing table and allowed to naturally dry for a few hours. Subsequently, it is carefully folded and kept aside to be sent to the stitching unit for final finishing of each bedsheet and tablecloth. At the stitching unit, each bedsheet and tablecloth are quality checked, finished around the edges with hemming, our care labels and folded neatly.
Handblock printing is slow process and a technique full of precision. The joy of brining nature inspired designs to life is unparalleled and more so as this artform of handblock printing is our unique way of presenting luxury home linen to the world.