Ikat Kantha Quilt

In Sanskrit, kantha translates to ‘rags.’ The name reflects how kanthas are made on layers of discarded and recycled cloth while using threads from rags. One of the oldest forms of embroidery from India, kantha can be traced back to the pre-Vedic ages. Rural housewives in  Bengal aided in the evolution of kanthas as they used simple stitching techniques to create quilts, saris, dhotis, and handkerchiefs for their families. The stitching is used for quilting and also for decorating. This textile was likely made to be a shawl.

This piece consists of two fabrics – one is a red, green, and gold weft ikat stripes laid against alternating yellow and brown ground, and the backing is a muted floral print. They are stitched together with rows of dense black and white vertical running stitches. The fringe on the top and bottom is continuous with these threads.