Sari Bari: the colors of my Kolkata

Friday, January 12, 2007

the colors of my Kolkata

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Sari Bari India

The faces of Sari Bari are many and the stories are heartbreaking. Sari Bari is the women of Kalighat's and Sonagacchi's red light areas who have taken the brave step into a new life. Life at Sari bari holds the promise of diginity, respect, and way of life that was never before possible for many of these women.

What is a Sari Blanket?

The Sari Blanket is not a new idea. What we call a Sari Blanket in India and Bangladesh is called Katha (K-aa-th-a) and has ben made for generations in the villages and slums of india. Poor women would save their old and worn out Sari’s and stitch them together with a small tight stitch called the Katha stitch and that is ultimately where the blankets received their name. The resourceful poor took something old and made it new. They took an old Sari and made something beautiful and useful to their families. We hope for a similar transformation in the lives of women working at Sari Bari.

How is it made?

The Sari Blanket is made out five layers of Saris. We too take the old and make it new by using old vintage saris from all over India for not only the outside but the inside of our blankets. The five layers of Sari’s are then stitched together with a stitch called Katha, basically a simple quilting stitch. It’s length is a little less than half the length of a full Sari and measures at approximately 80 inches long. Each blanket is put together by hand and then hand stitched. Each Sari Blanket is unique and there are no two blankets exactly alike. Additionally, each woman has own unique style and stitch which means each blanket varies slightly within the quality standards of Sari Bari.
Sari Bari is not just selling you a beautiful handmade vintage Sari Blanket we are selling you a story. A story that we want you tell you friends and family…a story of new life, a story of freedom, a story that means hope in one of the world most hopeless places.
Each blanket has a name…the name of a woman whose freedom you are now apart of with your purchase of a Sari Blanket.

Friday, January 12, 2007

the colors of my Kolkata

No comments:

Sari Bari India

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