Printing on fabric

Block printing has long been used to transfer designs onto fabric. The method requires minimal equipment to get started and is even taught in schools using potatoes as printing blocks.

Walthamstow-born artist William Morris pushed the boundaries of block printing in his workshop, designing the complex tessellating wooden blocks you can see here. To create this ‘Strawberry Thief’ fabric, he experimented with the order of applying dyes and mordants (chemicals that fix specific dyes onto cloth) to produce crisp, bright colours.

Written by: Miri Ahn, Curatorial Coordinator at V&A East
Published: May 2025

Sourcebook for Design