A blue and teal Sambalpuri handloom cotton dress material from Odisha, sold as an unstitched three-piece set. The deep blue top fabric carries finely woven parrot motifs, the bottom fabric is teal, and the matching dupatta has traditional ikat borders. It is a breathable set for an everyday kurta suit that can also go to a festive get-together.
Design details
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Top fabric: Deep blue with woven parrot motifs, made with the ikat tie-and-dye technique. Measures 2.5 x 1.17 metres.
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Bottom fabric: Teal, to contrast with the blue top. Measures 2 x 1.12 metres.
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Dupatta: Matching dupatta with woven ikat borders. Measures 2.5 x 0.91 metres.
Occasions and styling
Stitched as a straight-cut suit or an A-line kurta, this set works for office wear, daily wear and summer days, and dresses up easily for a casual festive evening. Silver jhumkas and tan kolhapuris go well with the cool blue and teal.
About Sambalpuri weaving
Sambalpuri textiles are woven in western Odisha, in Sambalpur, Bargarh and Sonepur (Subarnapur), and the Sambalpuri Bandha saree and fabrics are GI-tagged. Bandha is Odisha's tie-and-dye ikat: the yarns are resist-dyed in sections before weaving, so the pattern appears as the cloth is woven. Classic motifs include shankha (conch), chakra (wheel), phula (flower), rudraksha and pasapalli.
Care
Before stitching, hand wash each piece separately in cold water to pre-shrink the fabric, and dry in shade. After stitching, keep washing it separately in cold water with a mild detergent, as handloom dyes may bleed slightly, and iron on medium heat.
