Project 3: Tie and Dye – Class 7 Vocational Education Chapter 3 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 7Vocational EducationChapter 3NCERT book: Kaushal Bodh - Vocational Education Class 7

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 3 of the NCERT Class 7 Vocational Education book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Project 3: Tie and Dye (Part 2: Work with Machines and Materials)

About the Project

Project 3: Tie and Dye is one of the two example projects in Part 2 – Work with Machines and Materials (the other is AI Assistant). You will learn how to make beautiful patterns on fabric using different tie and dye techniques, prepare natural dyes, and finally design a product of your own.

India has a rich history of textiles. Every state has its own ways of weaving cloth and creating patterns through dyeing, embroidery and printing. Tie and dye is one such method — examples are Leheriya and Bandhani.

Bandhani literally means 'to bind or tie'. It is a resist dye technique – the tied parts resist (block) the dye and keep their original colour, and this contrast creates the pattern.

Bandhani is generally practised in Rajasthan and Gujarat, usually on cotton, silk and wool, and traditionally uses natural dyes made from plants and spices.

A community that migrated from Gujarat centuries ago to Tamil Nadu introduced the Madurai Sungudi — cotton tie and dye material, mostly used for sarees. So tie and dye is linked with Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Another resist method is wax resist (batik) — wax or starchy paste is applied freehand or with blocks/stencils. Batik is traditionally practised in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Rajasthan.

The earliest evidence of Bandhani is in the Ajanta caves (Maharashtra), where a painting shows a woman wearing a dotted cloth believed to be Bandhani.

Because every artisan ties fabric differently, no two tie and dye pieces are alike — each pattern is unique.

What You Will Learn

By the end of the project you will be able to:

Prepare natural dyes using vegetables, fruits, spices and plants.

Design patterns for tie and dye.

Use tie and dye to create colourful patterns on recycled fabrics.

Prepare a product using tie and dye.

Materials & Tools

Fabric: strong, natural-fibre fabric (cotton, silk, wool) because it goes through many rounds of tying and dyeing. Use light-coloured thin cotton from old clothes, or discarded linen/silk. Wash it well so no starch or dirt remains.

Material for tying: white or very light-coloured thread, so its colour does not bleed into the fabric. Rubber bands and clips for large areas; grains, pulses, seeds, small stones, peppercorns to control the size of the resist area.

Material for dyeing and fixing: beetroot, coffee, turmeric, red cabbage, pomegranate, henna, spinach, orange peels, onion skin, indigo. Fixers (e.g., salt/vinegar) stop colour from washing out, fading or bleeding.

Tools: measuring cup/spoon, containers, burner/stove, stirrers, iron, mug, plates, scissors, tongs, glass, bowl.

Nakhli / nakhlo: a metal ring with a blunt protruding edge that artisans use to pick the fabric.

Know the Techniques

Bandhani: draw tiny dots/circles → place a mustard seed under each dot → pinch the fabric around it → pull up and tie tightly with thread. Traditional patterns are named by the number of knots: Ekdali (single dot), Trikunti (groups of three), Chaubandi/Chaubasi (groups of four), Satbandi (groups of seven).

Leheriya: leher means 'wave'. Fold the fabric in half to find the centre, make small even accordion pleats, tie tightly at the centre, then tie at equal intervals on both sides → wave-like pattern. It represents flowing water and greenery, important in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Shibori: an ancient Japanese technique; the word means 'to wring, squeeze or press'. Draw lines → sew loose running stitches → pull the thread ends to gather folds → tie a firm knot. Traditional Shibori used natural indigo, which turns from green to blue as the fabric reacts with air while drying.

Step-by-Step Activities

Activity 1: Visit to a shop

Touch and compare fabrics; look for Bandhani/Batik/Shibori. Record fabric type, technique and price for at least five fabrics (Table 3.1), and ask which garments, fabrics and colours sell most.

Activity 2: Visit a tie and dye workshop

Ask the artisan how they tie, keep patterns the same size, fix colours, what temperature to use and how many times fabric is soaked. The book's process flow chart (Fig. 3.9):

Select the fabric → 2. Wash it → 3. Select the plant for natural dye → 4. Tie the fabric → 5. Prepare the dye and add fixer → 6. Dye the tied fabric → 7. Dry it → 8. Untie and see the design.

Activity 3: Exploring the art of tie and dye (samples)

Prepare five samples of about 6 × 6 inches (handkerchief size) from old clothes: cut → wash off starch/dirt → dry and iron out creases.

Tie one sample at a time (it improves your technique); stick to two colours — fabric colour and dye colour.

Prepare the dye. Beetroot (pink/red): crush 2 medium beetroots, add to 1 L water, boil slowly for about 1 hour, cool and strain, then add 1–2 tablespoons of salt as fixer. Turmeric (yellow): dissolve 2 tablespoons turmeric in half a glass of cold water, add to 1 L simmering water, simmer an hour, add 1–2 tablespoons of salt/baking powder/vinegar as fixer. Other dyes (Table 3.5): blue hibiscus, tea/coffee (brown), spinach (green), marigold (yellow), pomegranate (red) — generally 100 g in 1 L water, simmer to boiling, strain, then add vinegar or salt.

Dye, dry, untie: dip tied fabric in plain water → dip in warm dye for 20–30 minutes → take out (wear gloves) → rinse once in plain water → dry for a day → next day untie and press.

Solve common problems (Table 3.7): tie tightly so the thread doesn't open; keep enough space and hold hot containers with a cloth/gloves; don't use scissors to cut the thread while untying — use a needle to find the thread end.

Swatch file: display each sample with fabric type, technique, dye used, challenges and steps.

Activity 4: Making the final product

Choose a product — dupatta, pillow cover, scarf or dress material — from old clothes or bedsheets. Take design inspiration from everyday things (flowers, windows, rivers). Use 2–3 L of water for the dye because the cloth is bigger, dry for a day, untie carefully, and iron at a heat suited to the fabric.

Activity 5: What did you invest?

Estimate the cost of materials (₹0 for recycled items) and the time (in periods) taken for each activity. You can decorate the product with lace, buttons, pom-poms/tassels, embroidery, beads or sequins.

Safety First

Wear gloves (warm dyes), an apron, a mask (splashes and vapour) and goggles (hot water).

Work in a well-ventilated area.

Never point scissors at yourself or others.

Spread plastic sheets on the work surface and dispose of leftover dye carefully in the sink.

Internet safety: take your teacher's help, don't upload/download without checking, and never share personal information.

Key Terms

Resist dyeing – blocking dye from parts of fabric (प्रतिरोधी रंगाई)

Bandhani – tie and dye by binding tiny points (बांधनी)

Leheriya – wave-pattern tie and dye (लहरिया)

Shibori – Japanese stitch-and-gather resist technique (शिबोरी)

Batik – wax-resist dyeing (बाटिक)

Natural dye – colour made from plants, fruits, spices (प्राकृतिक रंग)

Fixer – salt/vinegar that sets the colour (रंगबंधक)

Bleeding – colour running out of thread or fabric (रंग छोड़ना)

Nakhli – artisan's metal ring for picking fabric (नख़ली)

Pleat – a fold made in fabric (चुन्नट)

Swatch file – file displaying fabric samples with details (नमूना फ़ाइल)

Ornamentation – decoration of the finished product (सजावट)

Design inspiration – an object that gives an idea for a pattern (डिज़ाइन प्रेरणा)

Reverse tie and dye – removing colour with bleach to make white patterns (उल्टी बंधेज)

Think and Answer – Hints

What did you enjoy / what challenges? Mention a specific technique (e.g., mustard-seed knots) and a real problem (thread loosening, colour too light).

What will you do differently? e.g., tie tighter, use more beetroot for a darker shade, test on a sample first.

Journey of a tie and dye product: growing fibre/raw material → spinning and weaving → dye making → tying and dyeing → finishing → shop/market.

Jobs: artisan, dyer, fashion designer, retailer, textile researcher.

Career & Community Connections

The chapter names artisans, dyers, fashion designers, retailers and textile researchers. You can also learn from a boutique owner, tailor, shopkeeper or a family member who does tie and dye as a hobby — and from family stories about traditional clothes.

Common Mistakes

Using dark or coloured thread — it bleeds colour onto the fabric.

Not washing the fabric first — starch and dirt stop the dye from taking evenly.

Tying loosely — the dye seeps in and the pattern disappears.

Skipping the fixer — the colour fades or runs onto other clothes.

Doing all samples at once instead of one at a time.

Cutting the fabric with scissors while untying.

💡 Key Learning Points

✓Tie and dye is a resist technique: tied parts block the dye and keep the fabric's original colour, creating patterns.
✓Bandhani (Rajasthan, Gujarat), Leheriya (wave pattern) and Shibori (Japanese stitch-and-gather) use different tying methods.
✓Natural dyes can be made from beetroot, turmeric, spinach, marigold, pomegranate, blue hibiscus and tea/coffee, set with salt or vinegar as fixer.
✓The process: select, wash, tie, prepare dye with fixer, dye for 20–30 minutes, rinse, dry for a day, untie and press.
✓Practising on five small samples and keeping a swatch file prepares you to design a final product such as a scarf, dupatta or pillow cover.

👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

→Start with a real Bandhani or Leheriya dupatta or photo and let students find the repeated dots and waves before explaining 'resist'.
→Demonstrate the mustard-seed Bandhani knot on a handkerchief under a document camera so everyone sees the pinch-and-tie action.
→Set up dye stations (beetroot, turmeric, spinach) with an adult at each heat source; insist on gloves, aprons, masks and goggles.
→Have groups each try a different technique on a 6 × 6 inch sample and compare results in a gallery walk.
→Invite a local artisan, tailor or parent who does tie and dye to demonstrate and answer the book's workshop questions.
→Link to Social Science by mapping where Bandhani, Leheriya, batik and Madurai Sungudi are practised.
→Use the costing and time tables to discuss recycling, pricing and the value of handmade work.

📋 Assessment Questions

Can the student explain why tying fabric creates a pattern (resist dyeing)?
Can the student correctly tie a Bandhani, Leheriya or Shibori sample following the book's steps?
Can the student prepare a natural dye and state the fixer used?
Does the swatch file record fabric, technique, dye, steps and challenges for each sample?
Did the student follow all safety rules while handling hot dye and scissors?

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