One Patch at a Time: The magic of Indian Appliqué
The sewing technique of Appliqué is popular all over the world. The word originates from the French verb appliquer, meaning “to put on”.
The Making
Practitioners of appliqué sew on pieces of cloth of different colours and shapes onto a base fabric. It is very similar to patchwork and uses fabric scraps. The most commonly used technique is where a surface fabric is stitched onto a base fabric. There is also the resplendent negative appliqué technique where the surface cloth defines the outlines of the motifs but is not filled in. In shadow appliqué, shapes are attached on the reverse of a fine, almost sheer fabric such as muslin. This technique is widely used along with chikan embroidery from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
The Legacy
There are some distinct appliqué traditions found in India. Several communities have their own distinct appliqué traditions. Some of these include the Rabari, Kathi, Mochi, Katab and Mahajan appliqué from Gujarat; Satwara, Marwari, and Meghwal traditions from Rajasthan; Tharu from Uttar Pradesh; Khatwa from Bihar; Pipli from Odisha, and something similar from Madurai from Tamil Nadu. Each tradition varies in design, colours, and motifs.
Memory Vault
Appliqué styles originated alongside techniques like patchwork and quilting. It was originally used to mend rips and tears in cloth by sewing on small patches of cloth over them. The oldest surviving form, Pipili Chandua, is believed to be from the 12th century, and still practised in Odisha.
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