These prints are from Rajasthan, India, which is known for the hand-carved block printing technique (Dabu printing).
The mud-resist paste formula varies slightly by family, but the basic ingredients are clay, lime, tree gum, and wheat flour. The hand-carved design block is dipped in the paste (how long to dip it and how hard to tap it to leave just a light coating of paste is part of the art).
The block is applied to the cloth, sawdust sprinkled on top of the motif, and the cloth is laid out in the sun to dry. After drying, the cloth is dipped in the dye vat (indigo and madder are two common natural dyes) until the desired depth of color is achieved.
The fabric is then washed several times to remove the paste and excess dye. The natural dyes leave a fabric that has a lovely, soft finish and beautiful earth tone colors. The fabric is 44" wide.
