A very rare hand-stitched patchwork blanket from the Meghwal tribe of Kutch. It has been pieced together using scraps of fabric and sari.
It is bright and has some applique around the border. The fabrics used are a mix of cotton and synthetic. It is vintage and has some signs of age such as frayed areas. Some of the patches are made from traditional Ajrakh block print naturally dyed in Kutch.
Although there is a remarkable resemblance to American patchwork and the theory that American missionaries in Pakistan in the 19th century taught these skills, the Meghwar tribes have been making their ralli (rilli) patchwork quilts for many hundreds of years. These women living in mud huts with thatched grass grooves, mud floors, no electricity and water collected from a well
