Khatwa Appliqué

Cut-cloth gardens and village scenes, stitched down colour on colour.

The appliqué and cut-work craft of Bihar, in which shapes cut from coloured cloth are stitched onto a contrasting ground to make tents ('shamiana'), canopies, wall hangings and, in its fine form, figurative panels of village and mythological scenes. It is the appliqué counterpart to the state's better-known sujani quilting and Madhubani painting.

Patna, Bihar

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Craft at a Glance

Origin

Patna, Bihar

Craft Type

Hand appliqué and cut-work textile

Materials

Cotton base and motif fabrics in strong flat colours; cotton sewing and embroidery thread; sometimes small mirrors; scissors, needle and a simple frame for larger pieces.

Known For

Decorated shamiana tents, cut-work canopies, fine figurative wall panels

Time to Create

Days for a cushion or small panel; weeks for a canopy or large hanging

Process Steps

Designing the layout

The composition — a garden, a border, a scene — is planned and the motif shapes are marked on the coloured cloths.

Cutting the motifs

Shapes are cut out, allowing a small margin to turn under, or the top layer is marked for cutting away in reverse work.

Stitching down

Each motif is pinned and hemmed onto the base with fine, close stitches; reverse-appliqué edges are turned and sewn as the top cloth is cut.

Detailing

Fine Khatwa is finished with surface embroidery and mirrors to pick out features and add pattern.

Designing the layout

The composition — a garden, a border, a scene — is planned and the motif shapes are marked on the coloured cloths.

Cutting the motifs

Shapes are cut out, allowing a small margin to turn under, or the top layer is marked for cutting away in reverse work.

Stitching down

Each motif is pinned and hemmed onto the base with fine, close stitches; reverse-appliqué edges are turned and sewn as the top cloth is cut.

Detailing

Fine Khatwa is finished with surface embroidery and mirrors to pick out features and add pattern.

Technique Glossary

Applied appliqué

Sewing a cut, turned-edge motif on top of the base cloth.

Cut-work (reverse appliqué)

Cutting away the upper cloth to reveal a contrasting layer beneath, hemming as you go.

Shamiana

The large appliquéd tent or canopy that is Khatwa's traditional bread-and-butter product.

A Craft Through Time

Traditional

Tentmakers of Patna

Tailor families around Patna make decorated shamiana and canopies for weddings, fairs and public events.

20th century

A parallel fine craft

Detailed figurative and floral Khatwa panels, largely by women, develop alongside the tent trade.

1980s–2000s

Craft promotion

Bihar craft bodies and NGOs market fine Khatwa as furnishings and gifts, linking it with sujani work.

Present

Two markets

Utilitarian tent appliqué and decorative home Khatwa continue side by side across central Bihar.