PATWA (The Thread Craft of India)

After talking about Dhokra Craft  in our last blog, lets dive into the second integral part of our jewellery – the art of threadwork, Patwa.

Patwa thread craft is a Tribal Rajasthani artform, which is characterized by vibrant colours, eye-catching beads and unique knotting techniques. “Patwa” was an all-encompassing term used to describe silk and cotton thread businesses. Patwa artisans used to be weavers who would craft colourful jewellery and travel from one village to another to sell their creations.

Thread-work done for Miharu’s jewellery is heavily inspired by Patwa craft. The traditional techniques of Patwa used to make tassels, thread beads and twisted cords are meticulously followed by our skilled craftswomen.

Patwas used a variety of yarn rolls - woolen, cotton, resham silk, zari, gold, silver and nylon – along with kundan studs and semi-precious or glass beads to make rakhis, necklaces and other knickknacks. At Miharu, we use cotton colour-fast threads and semi-precious beads to materialize the thread component of our accessories.

The true beauty of Patwa craft lies in its simplicity. A few elements, namely tassels, beads and knotted threads, can be used to craft umpteen unique products. Through innovative placements and right colour combinations, Patwa techniques can really make any jewellery start to sing.

Patwa craft is truly accessible to all, with the techniques being learnable and requiring little to no tools (we just use scissors to make hundreds of products a year). In fact, Miharu has been able skilled train 100+ local women in the craft. These talented women were naturals in the art of Patwa, and we are proud to say that all thread-work on our website is made from one of those amazing women. Seeing them being empowered and become independent as a result of learning an old artform is a testament to the fact that India’s rich ancient crafts are still relevant to this date.