The Process of Block Printing – Step by Step Journey

Have you ever thought how those beautiful block print bedsheets are made?

At Jharokha, each product is not just a piece of fabric – it is a handmade artwork. From carving wooden blocks to printing by hand, this traditional process is followed by skilled artisans with full love and care.

Let us take you through the journey of how block printing is done, step by step.

🪵 Step 1: Carving the Wooden Block

The first step is to make a wooden block. Artisans use soft wood (like sheesham) and hand-carve beautiful patterns on it. These blocks are like stamps, and each design needs a different block.

It takes a lot of skill and patience to make just one block. Some designs need 2-3 blocks – one for the outline, one for filling colour, and one for details.

🎨 Step 2: Making Natural Colours

Traditional block printing uses natural colours made from things like:

• Indigo for blue

• Haldi (turmeric) for yellow

• Pomegranate peel for green shades

• Iron + jaggery for black

These colours are made in small batches and used fresh. This is what gives each piece a slightly different and beautiful look.

🧼 Step 3: Preparing the Fabric

Before printing starts, the cloth is washed and dried properly. Then it is soaked in a natural solution (called harda) which helps the colour stick better.

After drying, the cloth is ironed and placed flat on a long printing table.

🖐️ Step 4: Printing by Hand

Now comes the most important part – the actual printing.

The artisan dips the block into the colour, taps it gently, and presses it on the cloth. Then again… and again… till the whole fabric is printed. If it is a multicolour design, they use different blocks one after the other.

This is all done by hand – no machines involved.

☀️ Step 5: Drying Under the Sun

After printing, the cloth is kept outside in the sun to dry naturally. Sunlight helps in setting the colour properly and gives a nice finish.

🧼 Step 6: Final Wash and Finish

After drying, the fabric is washed again to remove extra dye. Then it is dried again, ironed, stitched, and packed – ready to reach your home. 😊

At Jharokha, we are proud to support these local artists and keep this traditional Indian craft alive.

When you buy from us, you are not just getting a bedsheet – you are getting a handmade piece of culture. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Choose handmade. Choose Indian. Choose Jharokha.