Featured Indian silk + cotton fabric - dresser scarf? table cover?

Years ago, when we lived in the DC area, our next door neighbor was the Naval Attaché attached to the Embassy of India. His lovely wife gave me this item as a hostess gift at one of our dinner parties. I have never known anything about it and have never used it. Although it has been folded away for maybe 30 years, it has picked up some spots and probably stains.

The full piece measures 22" wide x 43" long, plus fringe. It appears to be a length of silk, backed by cotton.

I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me anything about it, including its intended use(?) Is the gold metallic thread woven in to the silk, or how do they make this sort of fabric?



This rather sloppy machine stitching leads me to believe that the maker was perhaps a "home sewer".
(One thing I can say for certain is that my neighbor did NOT make it herself!)


I DO know that Two x Two fabric is made in India. This is the cotton side:


Thanks very much for your input!

 

I couldn't tell you a thing about it either, but it IS LOVELY, and the color IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!! But here's a heightened view of the lettering if it helps... NOT sure of the letter in front of the 'H' though..........do you KNOW what it says @SBSVC ???

 

Thanks, Aqui - I agree! I am not normally what you'd call a "pink" person (RED is more my thing) but I also think it's a lovely color!

 

Perhaps it is a sari that has been repurposed into a shawl.

 

Khatau Mills, in India.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khatau

 

Thank you, Stracci - that's a good point.

Thanks, 2many. I was reading that wrong & kept seeing Chatau, which brought up nothing...

 

Sorry, Aqui - I didn't see your question before...

I think my reply to 2Many (above) answers that question! (Nope, I did NOT know what the letter was - I thought I did, but I was wrong!)

 

AND NOW I see part of the letter 'K'!!!!!!!!! NEAT!!!!!!

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/697610472/indian-vintage-silk-sari-made?ref=related-1&frs=1
The only thing about the scarf idea, is that most all of the examples I have found are 70" long.

 

LOVE IT !!! ... Joy.

 

Thanks, Flipper. I really don't think it's meant to be a scarf, because 1) it's awfully short and wide for that, and 2) the silk fabric is actually quite "stiff". It just doesn't drape the way I think a scarf should.

Of course, I could be completely wrong about that!

 

It's very pretty. Maybe a table runner? Or to drape over a chest, front to back?

 

Thanks, Pat!

Well, maybe a table runner - I thought of that, but again, it seems rather wide and short for that... Then again, perhaps it really WAS meant to drape over a piece of furniture (my idea of a dresser, yours of a chest...)

The pink color, tho, keeps coming back to haunt me. Is pink considered an "acceptable" color in India for home decor? I keep thinking it "should" be a ladies' fashion item, based on the color alone, but the size & shape just don't seem to "fit"...

 

I remember seeing light colors in Indian fabric, but not sure about pink?

 

I can not help except to say that it is a lovely color.

 

I'm thinking someone re-purposed it, and in doing so lined it with the cotton...... also a question....should there be knots in the fringe???

 

Pink is a big Thing in indian clothing and furnishings. I don't think it's a dupatta, too short. Probably just meant to be artfully draped over a chair.

 

Thanks for that, Owned! I think I've settled on "just drape it on a piece of furniture"!