Friday, April 3, 2015

An artisan quilt that feeds a child in India.

Home is where we create our own magical place. Our refuge in the city. It’s an expression of who we are and our passions in life. Some of the best moments spent at home are when we cuddle up with our favorite blanket, and enjoy the bliss of home.

Want to make it more special than it already is? How about adding a handmade artisan quilt to your zen time. What if bringing one of these beautiful objects into your home also fed a child in India for a month? You can do both with every purchase made from California Quilt Co. 

We’re excited to share our latest Pilates Platinum find with you. We recently discovered California Quilt Co. in Temecula, CA. A gorgeous drive along Pacific Coast Highway. Don’t worry, you can also order these lovely pieces over the internet. A drive along the coast is enjoyable, but sometimes UPS is our best friend when you consider crossing the 405 freeway.

Whether in person or doing some internet surfing, you’ll be drawn into the colors and craftsmanship of each piece. Every quilt is handmade by Indian Jaipuri artisans. They begin with one wooden block-no screen printing at California Quilt Co. Each color you see is brought together by individual pieces of holly, sycamore, plane or pear wood blocks. 

These pieces come together to tell a story with their intricate colors and stitching. The founder of CQ Co. remembered the old world craft of carving wooden blocks and imprinting them on a quilt piece by piece from his childhood. He wanted his company to return to his memories of spices, sun, and verdant colors of his native India. 

He encapsulated all the good and splendor of his youth with these intricate textiles, and wanted to share it with the world. He set out in India to find artisans who learned the complex craft of block printing. A craft which is passed down from generation to generation. Giving each family its own distinct style, brand so to speak.

No two pieces are ever the same. Block printing is an ancient art form which has been practiced in India for centuries.  Indian block prints are among some of the most intricate and decorative in the world. Looking at the quilts online, we can only imagine how sumptuous they are. You’ll feel like and Indian Maharani, as they keep cozy while drinking your tea.

Each quilt design is carved into a block starting with the larger portions of the design and finishing with the most delicate sections. Each color in the design requires a separate block. Can you imagine the manpower? The love that goes into piece? Every quilt tells its own personal story.


And the quilt process is just beginning. After the each wood piece is created, the fabric is prepared for printing and the vegetable dyes are mixed. The artisan lays the cloth on a flat table and continues through traditional process to assemble the final pieces together. You can bet this longer than hour an two. The color creation, the printing of piece by piece. How they been creating in India for centuries.

After the artisans take two completed “shells”and sews the perimeters together. They are stuffed with natural cotton the final stitching is applied. Viola, a handmade story told through colorful, natural textile  These stories come as Cotton Quilts or Vintage Kantha Quilts through California Quilt Co.

The Cotton Quilts bring the exotic into your home when you can’t jet off for the weekend. Or better said, when the only adventure you want to have is enjoying the serenity of home. With the rich, vibrant colors, you’ll wonder how humans learned to harness it from nature.

If you’re looking for something a little lighter, there are the Vintage Kantha Quilts. Each one is made by thousands of tiny stitches to bind vintage Saris together creating a beautiful, one-of-a-kind blanket. The art of Kantha dates back hundreds of years in India, where women passed down the embroidery technique from generation to generation another. You can see every stroke in each piece. You’ll be mesmerized.

Today, Kantha work helps support women in villages by providing jobs and funding education. CQ Co. didn’t set out to end child hunger in India. Revisiting India to find these block wood artisans lead to the realization that India was full of more than youthful memories for its Founder. California Quilt Co. brings to us the highest quality quilts while working towards turning the tide of child hunger in India.

And the mission of “One Quilt. One Child. One Life” was born. CQ Co. partnered up with Project Abundance, to help get much needed resources to charities in India dedicated alleviating child hunger. Philanthropy is a core value at CQ Co, and at Pilates Platinum as well.

It’s why we were so excited to bring this company and these amazing textiles to you. While you fill your home with love, warmth, and comfort; you’ll also be giving back to someone across the other side of the globe. Every time you cuddle up with your blanket you’ll remember how you also made the world a better place. Who knew a blanket could do so much.

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