The Norbulingka Design team adapted the skills used in making applique thangkas to create a home range of soft furnishings and wall hangings. These draw from the rich repertoire of traditional Tibetan motifs such as flowers, animals, and symbols using silks, linens and cottons.

Appliqué is a teamwork process, the product of many hours of care and the hands of many craftswomen. The master creates a stencil of the design on tracing paper and perforates the outline with small holes. The stencil is then placed on different colored cloth and rubbed with chalk powder so the image will be transferred. The pieces are cut, the edges lined in silk-wrapped cord, and sewn to the base. Finally, the dozens of parts are ironed and sewn together, reconstituting the image in a colorful, layered effect.

Our artisans are at the core of the unique pieces that were designed for the home by our creative team, who work side by side with our thangka painters, taking traditional motifs to a contemporary setting.