Pakistani Ralli or Patchwork Quilt

Ivory field, red border, and a garden of tiny diamond flowers.

This ralli, or patchwork quilt, was made in Pakistan in the mid to late 20th century in cotton. Rallis are commonly made in Sindh and neighboring regions from pieced cloth and are used as bedding, floor covers and gifts. A wide red border frames a pale ground worked in green-grey checkered squares, forming diamonds with pink and purple hearts at the centers. The stitched layers give the cloth a soft, slightly puckered surface. The colors are mellow, with the red keeping everything in order.

About 80 by 50 inches. A bedspread, a throw, or a calm wall hanging.