Rilli

In the history Asia is well known for the production of wonderful textiles. The most well known is the art of producing the cotton fabric and the dying and printing on the fabric. Women in the Pakistan are famous because of the art of producing Rilli (Quilts) from the different pieces of clothes. There are different types of quilts that are made by the women. The quilts are known as "Ralli" (or rilli, rilly, rallee or rehli) derived from the local word ralanna which means to mix or connect. Rilli is used for covering the wooden bed, to cover the floor, stuffing for animals and workers and it is also given to the girls in dowry.

Rilli is made from the pieces of clothes of different colors. The colors that are mostly used in making rilli are: Black, yellow, blue, purple, orange and white. The different pieces are stitched by the thread in different ways because there are many designs and for every design stitching will be in different pattern.

There are many types of Rilli but three are most famous and they are:

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

2) Applique made from intricate cut out patterns in a variety of shapes and

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