Patan in Gujarat is famous for the tradition of weaving patola, or double ikat since the 12th century. The process of tie-dyeing both warp and weft threads with such a fine pattern, and weaving so as to align these patterns in both sets of threads requires enormous skill and care. Patola are now only produced by the Salvi family. Each sari length takes 3-4 months to weave, and buyers must order far in advance directly from the family.

 The smudged edges that this production method produces in the designs are part of it’s beauty

Another attraction of patola is that both sides of the fabric are identical – even the weavers cannot tell one face from the other once the fabric is off the loom The Salvi brothers working side-by-side at the loom

Samples of patola designs  To see how these beautiful fabrics are created, go to Patola Techniques