Tilonia - Artisans of India

Women of Barmer

The Social Work Research Centre of Dhanau, a small village in the Barmer district of western Rajasthan, works with 300 women artisans who earn income from their needlework.


Barmer Applique

Barmer applique was traditionally sewn on bedspreads of black or brown bases. Motifs were almost entirely inspired by nature: trees, leaves, flowers and animals. Women in six villages in Rajasthan produce these appliques. An elaborate bedspread may take nearly a month to complete.

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Block Printing

The villages of Bagru and Sanganer are well known in Rajasthan for their blockprinted fabrics. Over 200 families in Bagru produce blockprinted fabric. Traditional dyes are vegetable-based and produce red, black and indigo patterns on unbleached cotton fabric. More recently AZO free chemical dyes have been used to produce a wider range of color. Blockprinted fabrics are used to make a range of Tilonia home furnishings, kitchen and beach gear. They can also be ordered by the yard for your own sewing projects.