The Craft Of Block Printing

From Wood to Wonder

The Timeless Art of Block Printing at Thar Living

When you unwrap a Thar Living quilt or table runner, you’re not just holding home linen, you're holding centuries of artistry, soil, sweat, and soul.
Each block-printed motif tells a story that began long before it reached your home in the narrow bylanes of Rajasthan, under the golden desert light, where artisans still print dreams by hand.

This is the story of how our prints are born and why they continue to matter.

The Origin of an Ancient Art

Long before digital design or industrial looms, there were hands steady, skilled, and patient.
Block printing is believed to have originated in China nearly 4,000 years ago, but it was in India, especially Rajasthan, that the art truly blossomed.
The Chhipa community, generations of dyers and printers, made it a way of life.
Their prints became symbols of identity, heritage, and expression, each pattern carrying a distinct rhythm, each color drawn from the earth itself.

At Thar Living, we carry that legacy forward not as a trend, but as a tribute.

STEP 1

The Spark and the Sketch

Every design starts with a story.
Sometimes, it’s the rustle of autumn leaves that inspire our Autumn Leaves Table Runner.
Sometimes, it’s the desert sky or a Mughal jaali pattern that catches our founder Shagufta’s eye.

From a simple sketch on paper, the journey begins translating emotion into form.
Because every Thar print must feel alive, not manufactured.

STEP 2

The Block Carvers of Rajasthan

The design then travels to the block makers of Rajasthan, where the real magic begins.
Using tools as old as the craft chisels, hammers, and intuition artisans carve each motif onto shesham wood.
One slip, and the design is lost; one perfect cut, and it’s immortalized in wood.

Each color in a Thar Living print needs its own block, sometimes three, sometimes thirty.Once carved, the blocks are soaked in mustard oil for days, preventing cracks and ensuring longevity.

STEP 3

Mixing the Colors of the Earth

At Thar Living, color is a language.
Our pigments are mixed by hand, often inspired by natural dyes, the ochres of Rajasthan’s soil, the indigo of Indian skies, the crimson of marigold petals.
The color master tests each tone by instinct, not formula because in true craft, perfection is felt, not calculated.

STEP 4

The Printing Table - Where Patience Meets Precision

A 5-meter-long table becomes the artisan’s canvas.
Fabric is stretched, pinned, and prepared.
Then, the block dipped in dye, pressed with the rhythm of years of practice meets the cloth.

Each strike of the block leaves an impression of the artisan’s hand and heart.
The air fills with the steady beat of wood on cotton - thak, thak, thak, a sound unchanged for centuries.

And slowly, a Thar Living creation takes form: a quilt, a pillow cover, a table runner that carries both tradition and time.

STEP 5

Drying, Washing, and Finishing

Once printed, each fabric is sun-dried under the Rajasthan sun, fixed naturally, and gently washed.
Our artisans then inspect every inch, iron every fold, and finish every edge by hand.
No two pieces are identical and that’s the beauty of it.

Each product whether our Noor Pillowcase or Autumn Leaves Table Runner, bears tiny variations that make it truly yours.

Why It Still Matters

In a world chasing speed, Thar Living chooses slowness.
We choose to preserve what’s almost lost, the rhythm of the hand, the smell of natural dye, the connection between maker and material.
Every purchase sustains not just a craft, but a community.
Our collections are hand block-printed by women artisans, ensuring fair wages, dignity, and continuity of heritage.

When you bring a Thar Living piece home, you’re not decorating a space, you’re carrying forward an ancient conversation between art and earth.

The Future: Modern Aesthetic, Ancient Soul

Today, our block prints travel across the world from the homes of Jaipur to global living rooms.
They’re proof that sustainability can be beautiful, and heritage can feel modern.
Each collection is designed for the contemporary home but remains rooted in India’s artisanal heart.

Because at Thar Living, we believe your home should tell a story: one block, one print, one piece at a time.

Shop the Story

Explore our latest collections
From the calm elegance of Jasmine to the joyful hues of Pink City, each piece brings a part of India’s art home.

Each design celebrates handmade heritage with modern elegance.
Discover more at Thar Living!