Ikat Hand Quilted Table Runner with Coasters Orange Gray

• Handwoven ikat fabric from Margilan, Uzbekistan
• Handmade patchwork design and construction by Tajik artisans
• Approximately 46" long, 13 3/4" wide
• 100% cotton
• Dry cleaning recommended
• Includes 6 patchwork coasters
• Please note: Ikats are hand woven/dyed, so they often have what would be considered imperfections if they were mass-produced using high powered looms, i.e. flecks of other dye colors, looped yarns and what appear to be runs. They are woven on small looms (usually 16 inches wide), with beams ending every 225 cm, producing a stripe after a certain interval. This is the inherent beauty of a completely hand woven and hand dyed fabric.

Armughon Handicrafts is the handicrafts arm of the Zerafshan Tourism Development Association (ZTDA) in Panjakent, Tajikistan, just across the border from Samarkand. ("Armughon" means "gift, a reminder of a place" in Tajik.)   ZTDA works to preserve, nurture and develop local art traditions, while also improving the quality of life for women living in the Panjakenti rural areas by involving them in the local economy. ZTDA designer Munira Akilova (at left in photo) creates new products that incorporate traditional suzani (embroidery) and quroq (patchwork) techniques and traditional patterns and ornaments from the Zerafshan Valley. As she explains,  "Each piece has its own meaning, [and] a part of Zerafshan."  Several of her designs have received the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Craft.  

Click here for more information about Armughon Handicrafts.