work shawls

Lotus blossoms drift on a blue lake, their beauty immortalized in handpainted batik. Created of luxurious silk, this beautiful shawl is the work of Sakornrat Sinthurat.

Designed by Dewa De Wardana, this elegant blue and white shawl is colored with dyes derived from organically farmed indigo. Talented artisans work in hand stamped batik on sheer silk chiffon.

Creating fantastic shapes, patterns of royal blue and snow white decorate this magnificent shawl from Guatemala. Elena Ixtamer creates this shawl, applying the motifs using the shibori technique; each rayon thread is meticulously tie-dyed before the entire piece is woven by hand on a traditional loom. Elegant fringe work accents the ends of this shawl.

Lines of navy, blue and grey hues go all over this charming creation, directly from the luxurious lands of India. Sandeep Malhotra's newest shawl is made by talented artisans who work with cotton and traditional techniques to create the gorgeous accents that make this accessory unique. As a touch of elegance, the shawl finishes with little fringes that dangle gracefully at the ends.

Midnight and cerulean hues form an enchanting palette arranged by Vinita on this wide shawl. The Thai artisan works with traditional dyeing techniques to create this loomed silk garment, adding a captivating striped pattern on a plum base hue that elegantly complements the fringes.

Navy and royal blue hues form a stunning palette arranged by Vinita on this wide shawl. The Thai artisan works with traditional dyeing techniques to create this loomed silk garment, adding a gorgeous striped pattern on an azure base hue that gracefully complements the fringes.

Perfect for keeping warm during the cold months, this men's cardigan is designed by Peruvian artisan Fernando Cano. He works with soft 100% alpaca yarns, knitting this masculine sweater with intricate wave patterns in azure and sunrise with graphite trim. A button front and shawl collar complete this cold weather necessity.

Thick yarns add rich texture to this fascinating kente cloth shawl by Gobah Tengey-Seddoh. Strips of black, white and Delft blue make a dramatic and handsome color combination. Designed and woven of coarse local cotton in the 12th century, the lokpo pattern means "heavy or thick in texture."

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. However patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns where the warp design is hardly visible can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Cotton yarns add rich texture to this brilliant kente cloth shawl by the Gobah Tengey-Seddoh Family. Strips of black, white and blue make a dramatic and handsome color combination. Designed and woven of coarse local cotton in the 12th century, the lokpo pattern means "heavy or thick in texture."

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. However patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns where the warp design is hardly visible can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

This glorious sweater coat is designed by Peru's Daphne Scapa, who works with a blend of organic Peruvian cotton and soft baby alpaca fibers in navy and white to create it. The generously-sized sweater features a wide shawl collar, wide cuffs, and a long self belt, all knit in a classic seed stitch. The versatile and comfortable jacket will quickly become a familiar favorite in your closet.