Tabletop Textiles

Handmade kantha throws are a beautiful alternative to traditional tabletop textiles.

The House Beautiful spread on designer Bunny Williams’ 2009 Kips Bay Showhouse may have caused a stir for its style, but something in that room caught my attention.  It was the kantha throw used on the dining table. Tabletop textiles needn’t be conventional.

Traditionally made by women in India using old cotton saris, kantha refers to the embroidery stitch used to piece portions of fabric together. Vintage kanthas were not created with design in mind, but from the tattered or worn saris the women had that could be recycled into throws, blankets and bedspreads.  Much like women in the U.S. used scraps of clothing for rug making.

Kanthas, like oriental rugs, are a lively alternative to traditional tablecloths and runners.  Textiles that have outlived their usefulness can easily be repurposed for tabletop displays.  This tribal rug used in a product shot for Ralph Lauren Home adds texture beneath the shiny lamp base and glossy book covers.  The blue, red, gold and black hues in the rug are repeated in the book covers resulting in a unified and colorful vignette.

Costume designer Jeanette Farrier trip to India led her down a new path.  Seeing the local women make kantha blankets inspired her to create a line of throws.  Instead of the worn, mismatched sari pieces found in traditional kanthas, she purchased new saris and set out to create designs using the colors and patterns that would appeal to the Western market.  Throws are made of five layers of recycled cotton sari fabric, hand-stitched in contrasting colored threads.

Made by the women of Calcutta, her designs provide an income for the poor and are listed as fair trade.  Jeanette’s throws are available at Treillage or visit her site for more locations such as Circa Trade.

(Sources: Treillage, Jeanette Farrier, Circa Trade)

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