What to Expect from a Vintage Kantha Quilt

When buying anything which is vintage, it’s important to have a full understanding of the quirks and intricacies that go along with it. Vintage, after all, means that something has lived a life long before it came into your hands, and our vintage kantha blankets are no different. 

While each vintage kantha quilt is totally unique, there are a few similarities that are likely to feature on a large proportion of them. Factors such as fading, patching and wear, all contribute to what makes the vintage kantha so desirable; they sing with personality, substance and culture. But if you’re expecting an immaculate condition Indian throw that is in factory-condition, these are not the blankets for you. 

Here’s a little more about what to expect from a vintage kantha quilt:

Softness

Expect to be blown away with the snuggle-factor of one of these 100% cotton quilts. The best part of buying a vintage kantha quilt is that it is made from preloved saris which have had all of that new-fabric stiffness washed and worn out of them. Straight out of the postal bag, you’ll be delighted with how utterly cosy one of these Indian quilts is to curl up under.

Fading

The saris used in one of our kantha blankets would have been hung out to dry, over months or even years, in the Indian sunshine. Cotton doesn’t hold its colour as well as synthetics or silk might, so the fabric of your quilt is likely to be faded. This gives it the look of a family heirloom and only adds to its charm.

Wear and Tear

Part and parcel of preloved fabric is that it will have lived a life before becoming a kantha quilt. You may find areas which have been worn more than others, though the fabric will not be completely worn through or physically torn. The blankets are made by layering fabric, so in areas where the fabric has thinned, you will have the additional layers underneath peeking through, this adds to the character (and the softness) of a vintage blanket.

Patches

If a preloved sari has a small tear, the cloth is simply patched before being used within the vintage kantha quilt. While some of our items, like the silk kantha quilts, boast an all-over patchwork layout, most of the vintage blankets will only have the odd patch where neccesary.

Colour mismatching

In the traditional Indian kantha fashion, the colours and designs which are included in the quilts will not always be of a standard palette or theme. In fact, there’s often a range of wonderful colours and prints within one quilt. If you have a specific colour in mind, or want a cohesive design throughout the fabric, vintage is not the best option for you. Instead, take a look at our indigo or blockprinted kantha quilts.

Still not sure whether vintage is for you?

The best advice that we can give when choosing a quilt is to take a good look at the pictures to help you make your mind up. We try to include as many images as possible in order to highlight whether any of the above factors are relevant to an individual quilt.