Appliqué

What it is

Applique is a method of decorating cloth by sewing shaped pieces of another cloth onto it. The pieces may be cut into flowers, birds, geometric figures or lettering, and they are fixed with small stitches around the edge, or sometimes with embroidery. In reverse applique, the top layer is cut away to reveal a layer of different colour below. Because the pieces have thickness, the result is slightly raised and textured, unlike weaving or printing. Appliqué can be done on cotton, silk and georgette. It is closely related to patchwork, in which pieces are joined edge to edge rather than laid on top of a base, and both are found across India.

How it is made, step by step

The artisan chooses cloth in contrasting colours, such as red, yellow, black and green, and cuts shapes from them with scissors, either freehand or from a paper template. Edges are folded under and tacked, or left raw if the cloth is stiff. The pieces are arranged on the base cloth, and stitched down with small hem stitches, or with a chain, blanket or running stitch for the outlines. In Pipli, shapes are often layered, with tiny pieces stitched over bigger ones. A saree may include a wide applique border and pallu, and some are worked all over. Women and men both work in the trade, with cutting often done by one and stitching by another.

The motifs and looks it is known for

Pipli applique from Odisha uses bright cloth in red, yellow, green and black, with motifs of elephants, peacocks, parrots, lotuses and temple scenes, and is linked to the Jagannath temple in Puri, where large canopies and umbrellas are made for processions. Gujarat has patchwork and applique in Kutch and Saurashtra, usually in geometric forms. In Bengal, cut cloth is sometimes used in kantha-related work. Rajasthan and Haryana have their own versions. Applique sarees tend to be vivid and graphic, with clear shapes against a plain ground, and often are worn at festivals. Dupattas and wall hangings are more common than sarees for this craft.

Where it is made

The best known applique village is Pipli, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, where artisans of the Darji community, traditionally tailors, make the work for temple use and for sale, and the town is lined with shops along the road to Puri. In Gujarat, Kutch and Banaskantha have applique by pastoral communities. Rajasthan, including Barmer and Jaisalmer, has patchwork. Applique is worked in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar too. Bangladesh and Pakistan have related traditions, including the Sindhi ralli, which is a patchwork and applique quilt. Pipli is a strong example of how a temple craft has moved into a general craft market with sarees, bags and lampshades.

History in brief

In Odisha, applique is linked to the service of the Jagannath temple at Puri, where it is used for chhatris, the large umbrellas and canopies for the deities during the Rath Yatra. Local accounts connect the craft with the Darji tailors who stitched for temple festivals, and the tradition is considered several centuries old, though exact dates are uncertain. Applique and patchwork exist in many parts of India as a home craft in which old cloth is reused. After independence, craft councils promoted Pipli work, and artisans adapted it to modern products. Pipli applique has been recognised with a Geographical Indication registration.

Buying and caring for it

Check the edges of the pieces. On handwork, the shapes are slightly irregular and stitches around them are small and even but individual. Machine appliqué is stitched with satin or zigzag lines and looks very uniform, and glued or heat-fused pieces peel at the edges after washing. Turn the saree over to see whether the stitches go through the base. Ask whether the cloth is colour-fast. Wash applique by hand in cold water with mild soap, separately, and dry in the shade, since bright cloths can bleed. Dry clean silk and heavily worked pieces. Press from the reverse on low heat, avoid rubbing and keep the pieces smoothed flat during storage.

Where to look

• Pipli applique: Odisha cut cloth work, linked to Jagannath temple canopies.
• Chandua: The local name for Pipli applique, used for temple umbrellas and canopies.
• Kutch applique: Patchwork and applique of Kutch pastoral communities in Gujarat.
• Sindhi ralli: A patchwork and applique quilt of Sindh, made in Pakistan and western India.
• Barmer patchwork: Rajasthan patchwork and applique from Barmer.
• Applique border saree: Saree with applique work on the border and pallu.

Care

• Hand wash separately in cold water because bright cloths can bleed.
• Dry in shade and press on the reverse on low heat.
• Dry clean silk and heavy pieces.

Sources and further reading

• Appliqué on Wikipedia
• Pipli, Odisha, Wikipedia