How Hand Block Printing Works

Hand block printing is a slow, intentional craft that has been practised in Rajasthan for centuries. Here’s how it works, step by step.

1. Carving the Blocks

Skilled artisans hand-carve designs into seasoned wood. Each colour in a pattern needs its own block — one for the outline and separate ones for the filling colours.

2. Preparing the Fabric

Pure cotton is washed and treated so the dye absorbs evenly and lasts through everyday use.

3. Mixing the Colours

Dyes are carefully prepared. Some workshops still use natural plant-based colours, while others use high-quality, long-lasting pigments.

4. Stamping by Hand

The fabric is stretched on long padded tables. The artisan dips the wooden block into the dye, aligns it with practised precision, and presses it firmly onto the cloth. This is repeated hundreds of times across the full length of fabric.

5. Drying and Finishing

The printed cloth is dried, washed to remove excess dye, and finished. The result is a textile with subtle, human variation that no machine can recreate.

This is the quiet process behind every Aayamora bedsheet and quilt — a deliberate choice against mass production, and a celebration of traditional craftsmanship.