Wall Hangings

There’s something about autumn that compels us to create a cozy home. We want to get all warm and ready for winter. What better way to feel safe and warm than fabric wall hangings? Add a bit of texture and softness to your home with wall hangings, created using the traditional techniques of generations passed.

Batik

Batik painting is a centuries-old fabric dyeing technique that starts by tracing an original design on a light but sturdy fabric. Next, hot wax is applied where color is not required. The material is then dyed and the wax removed, leaving only the original design. Each color represents a separate step in the process.

Kalamkari

The traditional kalamkari technique derives its name from “kalam” and “kari”, literally meaning “pen-work.” The vegetable dyes are derived from materials like Indian madder root, pomegranate seeds and mango bark. The sketching and painting with these dyes is done using burnt tamarind twig, mango twig or bamboo to which thread is tied.

Coiled Wool

To make coiled wool tapestries, Peruvian weavers use wool from sheep of the Andes. They wash it in a local river, card and dye it. It is a lengthy, labor intensive operation. Blending different colors to create specific hues, they roll the wool fibers into long strands, ready to create a tapestry on a wooden loom. Cotton threads form the warp; wool coils form the weft.

Mirror work

Sometimes called Shisha or Abhla Bharat (depending on the region), mirror-work embroidery is a cultural tradition in many countries throughout

Asia and the Middle East. It is believed that by hanging a tapestry of this kind in a doorway or window, the reflective pieces (which can be made of glass, metal, or plastic) will ward off the evil eye.