Collection: Handmade Blankets

Blanket Types

Bedspreads

We have the perfect handmade blankets for you bedroom. Get cozy and snuggle up in our bedspreads that fit a full to queen size bed. Its unique ikat design will brighten up your space and you'll be sure to stay warm underneath the luxurious handspun cotton.

Throws

Our unique throw blankets add one-of-a-kind flair to your couch and living room chairs. Stay warm on a chilly day while adding texture and style to your space that you won't find anywhere else!

Handwoven Blankets

All of our handmade bedspread and throw blankets are handwoven by artisans from around the world, using the traditional weaving methods of their regions that have existed for centuries. The blankets are made by women who hand spin their materials and use natural dyes. They all work on traditional looms that have been used in their countries for years, including backstrap and hand looms.

Luxury Materials

Our partnering artisans all use locally and sustainably sourced materials. They focus on using natural fibers and natural dyes.

Bhutanese Throw Blanket Materials

Bhutan's weaving practices, including the material sourcing, is rooted in the Buddhist value of the interdependence of all things, and that conservation is necessary both for nature and human health.

Our Bhutanese throws are made with yak wool, eri silk, and cotton. The natural dyes are sustainably foraged or locally grown materials like madder or onion skins.

Guatemalan Bedspread Materials

The bedspreads are made of 100% handspun cotton for both the warp and weft threads. The blue color comes from indigo, produced by the artisan and brought from El Salvador.

Laotian Throw Blanket Materials

The handmade throw blanket from Laos are made of 100% locally grown cotton. The dyes are a mix of natural and AZO free dyes.

Special Occasions

Our handmade throws and bedspreads are ideal gifts for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, or housewarmings. The motifs in many of the the handmade throw blankets represent protection, wisdom, and freedom of spirit--symbolism that adds style and meaning to someone's home who is beginning a new chapter of their life!

Frequently Asked Questions

Caring for Your Handmade Blanket

For the Guatemalan bedspreads, wash on a cold cycle, and line dry. For the throw blankets from Bhutan and Laos, dry clean only.

Technique of Making a Handmade Blanket

Preparing the Fibers

The first step of the process begins with the selection and preparation of high-quality fiber, such as yak's wool, cotton, or eri silk. The weaver first meticulously cleans the fiber and handspins it into yarn.

Dyeing the Fiber

Once the fiber is prepared, it undergoes the dyeing process, where artisans use natural dyes, like onion skins, indigo, or madder, or AZO-free dyes.

Loomwork

First, the weaver prepares the loom on their backstrap or handloom. She stretches the warp threads vertically, creating the foundation for the blanket. The careful arrangement of these threads determines the size and structure of the final blanket. Then, she interlaces the weft threads (horizontal threads) over and under the warp threads (vertical threads). In our handmade bedspreads, the artisan weaves five panels, and hand embroiders them together in a zigzag pattern.

History of Making Handmade Blankets

Laos, Bhutan, and Guatemala boast rich traditions of crafting exquisite handmade blankets, each woven with cultural significance and artistic expertise. In Laos, traditional weaving techniques have been passed down through generations, with artisans skillfully blending vibrant colors and intricate patterns to create unique textiles. Bhutanese blankets, deeply rooted in the country's spiritual heritage, often feature symbolic motifs inspired by Buddhism and the natural world. These blankets not only provide warmth but also serve as tangible expressions of Bhutanese identity. Guatemala, renowned for its vibrant textiles, has a history steeped in Mayan traditions. Guatemalan handmade blankets often showcase intricate embroidery and vibrant hues, reflecting the country's diverse landscapes and cultural heritage. Across these regions, the history of handmade blankets is a tapestry woven with stories, traditions, and artistic mastery, embodying the spirit of the communities that create them.

The Artisans Behind Our Handmade Blankets

Bhutanese Throw Blankets by Wangchuk Lhamo

Wangchuk Lhamo is a third-generation weaver in the valley of Thimphu, Bhutan.

Wangchuk preserves weaving traditions with a focus on sustainable practices, starting from intentional material sourcing that ensures the plants--such as handspun nettle, locally grown cotton, and eri silk--will produce next year. After using homegrown natural dyes with a traditional fermentation process called bangtshoe, the yarn is handspun on a pangtha loom, one of the oldest looms used in Bhutan. Through careful measurements, no yarn is wasted in production, and the natural dyes become organic fertilizer for her kitchen garden.

Guatemalan Bedspreads by Doña Marta

Doña Marta and her family in San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala use a backstrap loom for weaving and natural indigo dyes to color their yarn. The family grows and processes indigo locally, and the rest is sourced from El Salvador.

In addition to the more traditional patterns of her hometown, the white patterns on top of indigo are created by a process called ikat, where parts of the yarn is protected with a resistant before dyeing.

Laotian Throws by Ms. Navone and a Collective of Female Weavers

In the Ban Nayang village of Laos, two collectives of female weavers work together to weave these patterned blankets from naturally sourced, local fibers and natural dyes.

The first collective of weavers is led Ms. Navone, a master weaver and dyer. The second is led by Ms. Manomanh and Mae Manh.

Both groups work of women with their neighbors, all of whom contribute to the process of hand spinning, dying, and weaving. Once a piece has been completed, they add it to the collective stock.The handmade throw blanket from Laos are made of 100% locally grown cotton. The dyes are a mix of natural and AZO free dyes.

All of his rugs are hand-crafted. A hand-woven rug can take about a month for a weaver to create, while hand-knotted rugs can take a few months to complete. Learn more about Hocine Bazine and his process.