Rare hand-stitched patchwork ralli siddhi quilt from the Meghwal tribe of India.

It has been pieced together using recycled fabrics around a central field of coral rouge silk.

Sawtooth edge, geometric triangles/pyramid border.

Coral sari with gold floral embroidered elements. Reverse is an array of plaids from recycled clothes.

Traditional appliquéd border

Running stitches quilt the entire piece.

The reverse is mixed plaids.

The fabrics used are a mix of cotton and synthetic.

It is vintage, from the 1970s

Condition: Clean, some raw edge/ split fabric along the binding, several patches/repairs, thin fabric in a few areas. All these are shown in the images.

Size: 54 x 80 inches (will cover exactly the mattress surface on a full size)

Rallis are commonly used as a covering for wooden sleeping cots called charpoys (a type of daybed typically about 82 x 45 inches)

This was made for use and usually these are not sold. This is not a new kantha quilt- this quilt is an actual tribal vintage piece.

Although there is a remarkable resemblance to American patchwork and the theory that American missionaries in Pakistan in the 19th century taught these skills, the Meghwar tribes/Siddhis have been making their ralli (rilli) patchwork quilts for hundreds of years.

Perfect as a wall feature or a bed cover, on a couch and as a larger size bed runner.

Ralli quilts are a visual feast of color, pattern and energy. They’re are made in Pakistan in Sindh, Baluchistan, southern Punjab and in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat bordering Sindh.

The quilts are called "ralli" (or rilli, rilly, rallee or rehli) derived from the local word ralanna meaning to mix or connect. Rallis are made by women of rural villages, nomadic tribes and settled towns.

These quilts are commonly used as a covering for wooden sleeping cots called charpoy.

In the villages, ralli quilts are an important part of a girl's dowry. Special rallis are made for weddings or as gifts to holy men. There are legends, folk songs and sayings about the quilts. Owning many ralli quilts is a measure of wealth in the rural areas. Yet the ralli is a humble craft, made of worn out clothing and other discarded fabric.

A typical ralli is about seven by four or five feet. Much of the fabric comes from old, worn shalwar kameez (traditional loose shirt and pant outfits). The most common colors in rallis are white, black, red, yellow, orange, green, dark blue and purple. However, there are some unique regional and tribal color palettes. For the bottoms of the rallis, the women often use old pieces of tie-dye, ajrak (red and blue block printed material) or other shawl fabric. An old head shawl will usually be large enough for the back of the quilt minus about six inches on top and side that need piecing. Ralli quilts have three to five layers of worn fabric or cotton fibers between the top and bottom layers. The filling is basted to the backing using long stitches that are later removed.

Usually the piecing on the top is done by one woman. She calls on female family and friends to help with stitching the quilt together when she is ready. This is a time of talking, news sharing and singing for the women. To sew all three layers together, usually several women sit on opposite sides of the quilt placed on a reed mat on the ground. No quilting frame is used. The layers are sewed together by thick colored thread stitched in straight, parallel lines. Depending on the thickness of the quilt and the skill of the quilters, the stitches may be as close as 1/8 inch apart.

The three basic styles of rallis are:

1) patchwork made from pieces of cloth torn into squares and triangles and then stitched together

2) appliqué made from intricate, cut out patterns in a variety of shapes

3) embroidered quilts where the embroidery stitches form patterns on solid colored fabric.

A distinguishing feature of ralli patterning in patchwork and appliqué quilts is the diagonal placement of similar blocks. Special rallis made for weddings or gifts often have a variety of embellishments including mirrors, tassels, shells and embroidery. There is much individual expression and spontaneity in color within the traditional patterns resulting in a seemingly endless variety in rallis.