What Is Kantha Stitch? Things To Keep In Mind Before Buying A Piece

Kantha stitch adorns various items such as shawls, mirror covers, boxes, and pillows with motifs of flowers, animals, birds, and geometric shapes, lending the fabric a charmingly textured appearance.

All You Need To Know About Kantha Stitch (Representational Image)

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Kantha is a traditional embroidery craft originating in Bangladesh and eastern India, notably in West Bengal, Tripura, and Odisha. Typically practiced by rural women, Kantha employs a simple running stitch on soft dhotis and saris, resulting in variations like Lepkantha or Sujni Kantha based on use. This versatile embroidery technique adorns various items such as shawls, mirror covers, boxes, and pillows with motifs of flowers, animals, birds, and geometric shapes, lending the fabric a charmingly textured appearance.

 

How Kantha Stitch Is Done:

 

Talking about the process, Roshni Mukherjee - Owner Label Myosutra said, "This stitch is usually done by hand, creating straight or slightly wavy lines that form intricate patterns. The stitches may be small and closely spaced or larger and more spaced out, depending on the design and the skill of the artisan."

 

"Handcrafted Kantha pieces may exhibit slight irregularities and imperfections, which add to their charm and authenticity. These imperfections can include variations in stitch length, minor asymmetries in the design, or variations in the colour of the thread. Furthermore, the reverse side of a genuine Kantha piece often showcases the running stitches and the outline of the design in a contrasting colour thread. This adds to the beauty and uniqueness of the piece," she added.

 

How You Can Identify An Original Kantha Embroidery:

Originally discovered in Bengal, Odisha, Tripura, and Bangladesh, variations of this stitch are seen throughout India.

Medhavini Khaitan Agarwala, owner of Lable Medhavani Khaitan Studio said, "Identifying original Kantha stitch, a traditional embroidery technique requires an eye for the slight irregularities and variations in the stitching, which indicate it is handmade rather than machine-made. This handwork art typically uses running stitches in straight or slightly curved lines. The stitches are usually uniform in size and spacing, but may vary slightly due to the handcrafted nature. One distinguishing feature of Kantha embroidery is that it is reversible. The same pattern or design should appear on both sides of the fabric.

Things To Keep In Mind Before Buying A Kantha Stitch Piece:

Kantha, being an intricately designed fabric can often be confused with a fake one. Handwoven kantha enbroidery pieces require labour and patience and are more expensive compared to the machine made pieces. Since, it is purely handmade, the sarees are not always ironed when purchased from shops, indicating the true nature of the piece.

Pinky Rai, Design Team Lead, The Indian Garage Co listed the things one should keep in mind before buying a kantha embroidery:

• Authenticity: Ensure the piece is genuinely handcrafted using traditional Kantha stitching techniques.
• Quality of Fabric: Check the material for its quality, as it affects the durability and appearance of the piece.
• Stitching Detail: Examine the stitching closely for consistency and intricacy, as well-stitched pieces showcase the artisan’s skill.
• Design and Patterns: Look for designs and patterns that resonate with your taste and preferences.
• Colour Fastness: Verify the colorfastness of the fabric to ensure it retains its vibrancy after washing.
• Size and Purpose: Determine the size and purpose of the piece, whether it’s for clothing, home decor, or accessories, to ensure it meets your needs.
• Source and Fair Trade Practices: Consider purchasing from reputable sources or artisans who follow fair trade practices to support ethical production.
• Care Instructions: Inquire about care instructions to maintain the quality and longevity of the Kantha stitch piece.
• Price: Compare prices across different sellers to ensure you’re getting a fair deal based on the quality and craftsmanship of the piece.