Ilkal

Ilkal sarees are weaved with an exclusive technique called the Tope Teni, which means joining the body wrap with the pallu (edge) wrap. The wraps for every sarees are prepared beforehand, then the sarees are woven using cotton wrap on the body portion and art silk wrap for the pallu or border portion. The treads of both the slides are joined through the Tope Teni method. This technique is the distinctive characteristic of the Ilkal saree. The traditional borders used on these sarees are Gomi, Jari, Chikki, Gadidadi, and modern Gayathri. The base fabric used to make this saree is either pure cotton, pure silk, or a mixture of both cotton and silk. The traditional colors used to weave Ilkal were peacock green, parrot green, and pomegranate red. 

One good Ilkal Saree takes 3 - 7 days of weaving depending on the design and pattern chosen. The Ilkal sarees weaved for brides are made of a particular color, Giri Kumkum. This color is chosen in reference to the sindoor worn by the wives of the priests in that region. One of the Ilkal sarees that makes it stand apart from the crowd is the one with intricate Kasuti embroidery which takes 5000 stitches by hand for its complete production. 

These sarees are mostly worn in North Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.