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Kantha Embroidery

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Kantha is an extremely simple yet beautiful style of embroidery. A stitch is a simple running stitch that gives a very beautiful outcome. It’s quite popular in West Bengal & Bangladesh. Embroidery is vastly used in quilts and sarees but could be done on different objects like bags, cushions, curtains, and toilet accessories holders too. Kantha means rags. Precious silks and expensive clothes on becoming old were piled into layers and stitched together. That’s how Kantha originated.
As I said the style is a simple running stitch but kantha work can be differentiated into aligned and non-aligned kantha.
Below I’ve given a simple illustration of two types of kantha and some kantha patterns.

Kantha can transform a simple and plain fabric into a stylish and beautiful one. Below is the before and after of the cushion and curtain. (funny though…I just tried my hand at photo editing s/w) it’s just an illustration but with a little creativity and good imagination, you can do wonders.
Before:

After:

Look at this beautiful kantha shawl.
Image source: click here
Even I made sarees and salwar kameez using kantha. Kantha work is also used to depict the life story of the artists. Hope you liked learning about the history of this beautiful form of embroidery.
Happy Crafting!!!
Disha

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