Our Indian Textile Crafts
~ Kantha ~
Our vintage kantha fabric comes from the state of Bengal where village women patiently put one stitch after another on old fabrics and add a new life to them. Each Vintage Kantha piece is recycled, unique and one of a kind!
Traditionally Bengali women take their old saris, rags and other cloth and sew them together with a simple running stitch to create a functional piece of textile that may be used for bedding, blankets coverings etc.These functional kantha reversible blankets were spontaneous techniques to recycle/up-cycle old fabrics and cloth, not intended as a work of art, but simply what the families used for bedding etc. Kanthas were also intended as gifts for family members, women stitched kantha for their loved ones.
This craft is primarily made by village women in West Bengal and Bangladesh. However, the tradition of re using old fabrics with simple stitches is found in many parts of the Indian Sub-continent, including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It is known by different names like Gudri, Sujani, Kantha, Nakshi Kantha.
~ Kalamkari ~
The Srikalahasti style of Kalamkari, where the "kalam" or pen is used for free hand drawing of the subject and filling in the colours, is entirely hand worked and is a unique form of resist dyeing.
This style flowered around temples in Andhra Pradesh, India and so had an almost religious identity - scrolls, temple hangings, chariot banners and the like, depicted deities and scenes taken from the great Hindu epics - Ramayana, Mahabarata, Puranas and the mythological classics.
Only natural dyes are used in Kalamkari and it involves seventeen painstaking steps. Favourable climatic conditions and flowing water are also necessary for this craft.
"I was introduced to Srikalahasti form of Kalamkari during my 11 day Craft Training Module, way back in my college days at NID. I personally traveled to Srikalahasti, a small temple town, situated close to Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, India. I have very fond memories of my trip and I can still recollect the taste of simple delicious meals cooked by the Srinivasulu Reddy and his lovely family. I cherish my interactions with the Artisan family who found a way to teach me the steps of the craft even though I did not speak their language." ~ Kanika
~ Block Prints ~
Block Printing is one of the oldest methods to print a pattern on to a fabric surface. Widely practiced in both Rajasthan and Gujarat, it is characterized by the use of imprints of geometric as well stylized pattern and animal forms.
Our wooden printing blocks are all hand carved in the traditional Indian method by master craftsmen. We extensively use the resist printing techniques on Tussar Silk and Silk Blends.
Our aim is to promote & support these rich Textile Crafts of India and work with more craft techniques in the future.
Text Credit:
Wikipedia, Handmade in India (book)