Kalamkari

Kalamkari sarees -from the words "kalam" meaning pen and "kari" meaning art. these were first found as an art form in the lush lands of Golconda, Andhra Pradesh.

The unique feature of kalamkari art is that it uses only natural colors or vegetable dyes.

For instance black color used for outlining sketches is extracted by blending jaggery, water and iron filings. 

This art involves 23 steps of dyeing. Our Kalamkaris are hand-drawn and made by the Kalamkars of Srikalahasti, directly sourced from artisans whose skills and techniques have been passed down from generation to generation. After painting the sarees, they are exposed to the elements so as to bring the colors of your saree to life and create the fine piece of art that you have purchased for your closet.

One of the first steps of making Kalamkari, is boiling the base fabric in buffalo milk. When you get a kalamkari saree from Tale of Threads, you will be welcomed by the aroma of the milk still lingering, a mark of it's authenticity.