A Swati Shahtoosh shawl in soft white, left plain across the field and framed on all four sides by a wide hand-embroidered border — a deep band of flowering vine and paisley leaves in rose, teal, gold and plum, closed with a finely scalloped edge, and a large curling paisley worked into each corner.
Block-printed, then embroidered by hand
The design does not go straight onto the cloth. It is first printed on with carved wooden blocks — an outline in washable ink that maps every vine, leaf and petal the embroiderer will follow. The blocks themselves are cut by a separate craftsman and a workshop may use the same set for decades.
The embroiderer then works the whole design by hand over that printed line. The ink washes out at the end, leaving only thread. It is worth understanding what this does and does not mean: the block guarantees the placement is even and the borders match corner to corner, but every stitch, every colour change and all the shading is still done by hand, one needle at a time. A printed shawl would be finished at the printing stage. This one is where the work begins.
A wide border, and what it costs
This is the deepest border we put on a Swati Shahtoosh. Our other white piece carries a fine line at the edge; this one carries a band several inches deep, filled the whole way with vine, leaf and flower head, with a large paisley set into each corner on top of it. The field is left plain so that the border has nothing to compete with.
The extra depth is hours rather than design. A narrow border is one line to hold straight; a band this wide has to keep its rhythm across its width as well as its length, and on white there is nowhere to hide a stitch that drifts. It is the same reason a workshop puts its steadier hands on white.
The colour
White goes over everything and reads formal without being heavy, which is why it is the traditional choice for a bride and the safest gift when you do not know someone's wardrobe. The border carries rose, teal, gold and plum, so it picks up whatever colour it is worn against.
Details
- Swati Shahtoosh — handwoven in Salampur, Swat, and hand embroidered in Multan
- Wide hand-embroidered border on all four sides with a large paisley in each corner; plain field
- Design block-printed first, then embroidered entirely by hand
- Approx. 40" × 80"
- Dry clean only — white marks easily, so store folded and away from direct light
Each shawl is embroidered by hand, so slight variation between pieces is expected and is the mark of hand work rather than a fault.
Ships in Attan's branded box with a thank-you card, ready to gift.
