What is Kantha ?
Kantha is the most popular embroidery of West Bengal done with folk motifs. The Kantha Embroidery is predominantly the most popular form of embroidery practiced by the rural women. The traditional form of Kantha embroidery was done on soft dhotis and saris. The thread for this craft was drawn out of the borders of the used cloth. It is a simple running stitch made on the edges. The cloth is white or light coloured which makes the embroidery perceptible. Depending on the use of the finished product they were known as Lepkantha, Sujni Kantha etc. The embroidered cloth is used as saree for women and shawls. The clothes also find use as covers for mirrors, boxes, pillows etc. The entire cloth is covered with running stitches and usually has beautiful folk motifs, floral motifs, animal and birds figures and geometrical shapes. Themes from day to day activities are also a common subject for the embroidery. Such stitches on the cloth give it a slight wrinkled wavy effect. It is popular in the present day garments like the sarees, dupatta, shirts for men and women, bedding and other furnishing fabrics.