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Activities / Bandhani / Bandhani Dot Handkerchief

Bandhani Dot Handkerchief

Bandhani Dot Handkerchief: A Small One-Colour Starter Project

Level
Beginner
Duration
1.5 - 3 hours (plus drying)
Budget
₹100 – ₹400
Age
12+
State
Gujarat

Materials

  • White cotton handkerchief, 30 to 45 cm square
  • Water-erasable fabric marker
  • Strong cotton thread
  • Turmeric powder
  • Dried beans or peas
  • Old pot, strainer or cloth, spoon and bucket
  • Salt and white vinegar
  • Small scissors, gloves and apron

Steps

  1. Wash, dry and iron the white cotton handkerchief
    Wash the handkerchief in plain water with a little mild soap, rinse it well and let it dry. Iron it flat on the cotton setting. New cloth often has starch or finish that blocks dye and leaves blotchy patches, so do not skip the wash. A clean, smooth handkerchief is easy to mark and to tie.
  2. Mark a 3 by 3 grid of nine dots, 6 cm apart
    Lay the handkerchief flat on a table. With a ruler and a water-erasable fabric marker, make nine small dots in three rows of three, each dot 6 cm (2.4 in) from the next, with the grid in the middle of the cloth. Press lightly. The marks wash out later. Common mistake: dots too close together, so the ties touch and the white circles blur into each other.
    Tip: Test the marker on a corner first and check that it fades with a wet finger.
  3. Pinch the cloth at one dot around a dried bean to make a small peak
    Put a dried bean or pea under the cloth right on a dot. Pull the cloth up around it between your thumb and two fingers, so the bean sits in a little pocket and the fabric forms a peak about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) tall. Twist the base a little so the cloth is gathered snugly. The bean makes a neat round white dot. Common mistake: making the peak too tall, which gives a long smudge and not a round dot.
  4. Wrap strong thread tightly around each peak and knot it
    Cut 40 cm of cotton thread. Wrap it 5 times around the base of the peak, pulling hard on each wrap so the thread bites into the cloth, then knot twice and cut the long ends. Repeat for all nine dots, about 20 minutes in all, and tug each peak gently: if the thread slides, wrap again. Dye cannot get under a tight wrap, so tight ties give crisp white dots.
    Tip: Use a thread colour you can see against the cloth so you do not miss any when you snip later.
  5. Make the turmeric dye bath with an adult
    Ask an adult to help with the hot pot. Put 1 litre (4 cups) of water in an old pot with 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder and 1 tablespoon of salt. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Pour through an old cloth or a fine strainer into a bucket to catch the lumps, let it cool until it feels warm and not hot, then stir in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Turmeric stains hands and counters for days, so wear gloves and an apron.
  6. Wet the handkerchief and soak it in the warm dye for 45 minutes
    Wet the tied handkerchief in plain water and squeeze out the drips; damp cloth takes dye evenly. Lower it into the warm dye and push it under with a spoon. Soak for 45 minutes and stir gently every 10 minutes so the colour is even. Longer gives a deeper yellow. Common mistake: letting a ball of cloth float on top, which leaves pale patches.
  7. Lift it out and rinse it gently in cool water
    Lift the handkerchief out with the spoon and let it drain. Rinse it under a slow tap of cool water, squeezing gently, until the water runs nearly clear. Do not wring it hard or you may loosen the ties. Turmeric leaves a yellow tint however long you rinse, which is normal.
  8. Snip the threads and open the dots
    Hold one peak and slide the tip of small scissors under the thread, keeping the blade away from the cloth. Snip and unwind the thread, then shake out the bean. Repeat for all nine. Open the cloth to see a yellow handkerchief with a grid of pale rings. This is the best moment of the project.
    Tip: Cut only the thread, never the fabric. Lift the thread with a pin first if it is too tight to get under.
  9. Dry in the shade and press with an iron
    Hang the handkerchief in the shade until it is dry, which takes about 2 hours. Turmeric fades in direct sun. Press it on the cotton setting with a thin cloth on top to show the pattern. Wash it by hand in cool water with a mild soap, and wash it separately. Natural turmeric fades with washing, so treat this as a keepsake piece.

Sustainability

High - uses turmeric or onion skins from the kitchen; fabric can be reused. The colour may fade faster than commercial dye

Safety

Hot dye bath, so an adult should do the simmering; turmeric and onion skins stain hands, clothes and counters; wear gloves and an apron