Artisan: Jabbar and Abdullah Khatri Bandhani India

Bandhani is ancient dye technique that creates pattern on cloth. Similar to tie-dye but far more precise as you’ll see in the works below. Internationally acclaimed bandhani artist, Jabbar Khatri, tells the story of how the technique came to India's Kutch. Long ago a Fakir, a religious aesthetic, who lives solely on alms, came to their community and was treated with kindness. In return he gave them a blessing. His gift was a humble handkerchief tied in various knots. The kerchief was accidentally dropped into a dye bath and when removed, untied and opened. The cloth revealed a pattern. And that recognition of how a knot resisted the dye to create a pattern became the technique we now call bandhani. 

Bandhani dyed and hand stitched cotton quilts. Each pattern dot has been wrapped or ‘tied’ prior to dyeing. Once dyed, the ties are removed to reveal the intricate pattern. Our one-of-a-kind quilts are hand stitched and machine washable, separate, gentle cycle.