Kantha
Part of camomile london’s ethos has always been to create pieces for the home that are timeless in their design whilst embracing traditional techniques and the beauty in the work of the hand. The heritage recalled in these pieces are layered with detail and the work of talented craftspeople allowing us to support the artisan communities we collaborate so closely with.
Kantha, loosely meaning ‘patched cloth’ in Sanskrit is an ancient Indian technique of layering old or discarded saris and connecting them with an abundance of running stitches that cover the surface to create a softly textured blanket.
The tradition passed down through generations of women in rural India would often see groups creating a single Kantha blanket as a gift for loved ones and family. Kantha stitches would range from the simple yet beautiful running stitch to decorative motifs or elaborate scenes of wildlife.
Inspired by the beauty in craftsmanship of the Kantha blanket, camomile london sought to reinterpret this tradition for the modern family home.
Our new Kantha Cross Stitch Blankets are made in the Jaipur region of India, home to many traditional crafts of fine artistry and with a long history in handmade quilts.
Each Kantha blanket takes up to a week to complete and is created by layering beautiful soft cotton made exclusively for camomile and like traditional Jaipur blankets also uses a cotton wadded filling. The quilts are hand-stitched together by local artisans, a process called ‘Tagaai’ in Hindi using our signature cross stitch.
The collection, made up of 6 blankets combines two beautifully contrasting colour-ways on each side. Each blanket is further enhanced with 2 differing thread colours in the cross-stitch. A highly technical and time-consuming process, the dual thread cross stitch was a labour of love for both the design team at camomile and our wonderful artisan makers creating this fine detail.
The finished piece is a beautifully crafted blanket which is lightweight yet cosy with a soft tactile feeling that is imbued with the care and intention of each pair of hands that has been part of its journey.
