Dumbara rata kalala runner
Three weeks on a pit loom in Thalagune, in a pattern held only in the weaver's head.
$340
Thalagune handloom throw
$180
Plain weave, two stripes, and a fringe knotted by hand at both ends.
Materials & dimensions
- Handloom cotton
- Indigo dye
- Hand-knotted fringe
130 × 1 × 190 cm · 900 g
Care
Cold machine wash on a gentle cycle, no fabric softener — it coats cotton and stops it breathing. Dry flat in shade. It will soften for about a year and then stay as it is.
Shipping & duties
Standard $48
Express $91.20
North America · 900 g
Free standard shipping over $250.
Import duties and taxes are set by United States, not by us. They are not included above, and your carrier collects them on delivery.
The story
Not everything off a Dumbara loom is figured. Most of what Karunawathi weaves is plain cloth, and plain cloth is where a weaver is actually judged — a figured pattern hides an uneven beat, and an unbroken cream ground hides nothing at all. Hold this up to a window and the density is the same from end to end.
The two indigo stripes near each end are woven in, not printed. They are set where they are so that when the throw is folded in three over the arm of a chair the stripes land on the outside, which is the sort of decision that only comes from having made several hundred of something.
The fringe is knotted by hand, in groups, at both ends. It takes about two hours and is the last thing done, usually in the evening.
Karunawathi Menike
Thalagune, Udu Dumbara, Central Province · working since 1986
