The bocks are dipped into the dye, pressed firmly onto the fabric and then hit with a mallet; the process repeated over and over again by only the steadiest of hands. This old method is extremely time consuming and requires precision so there are no breaks in the pattern. Dyeing with vegetable colours is the oldest of colouring techniques and is still widely used today. 

On her travels to Rajasthan, India, Katherine made contacts in the artisan world of Dhurrie weaving and block printing. A dhurrie is a flatweave carpet, handmade from 100% cotton. The yarn has been hand dyed several times to ensure colour fastness and durability. The whole process is virtually unchanged through the last thousand years, passed from generation to generation; weaving is an authentic handicraft that takes years to master.  

Each carpet is hand woven on hand looms made especially for each one. The weavers work from their home in the villages around Jaipur, which means the production process does not emit any fumes and the weavers are safe from working in hazardous, run down factories; the work does not require a commute either, saving weavers money and time. 

Katherine sources block printed cotton for her clients from Jaipur and she turns this fabric into beautiful curtains, cushions and can even cover chairs, headboards or ottomans. The charm of the handmade blocks and hand printed fabric brings the essence of bohemian into your home. 

Block printing is known to have been used in India since at least the 12th century and has become a culturally distinct art form. The cotton is purchased at the market and soaked in water for 24 - 48 hours to remove the starchiness of the fibres. The artisans beat the wet lengths of fabric on river stones to make them softer and then lay them to dry and naturally bleach in the sun. The blocks are carved out of wood using patterns drawn on paper, a separate block must be made for each colour of the design. Long tables are prepared and the cotton stretched out fray for the block printing, chalk is used for reference lines.