Striped Cottage Chic - Uzbek Vintage Fabrics

These striped pillow cases are made of fabric which I love and value very highly. It is called 'bekasab', and it is a traditional Uzbek fabric made of silk and cotton. Bekasab is traditionally used in Uzbekistan for national gowns (chapan) and wonderful quilted blankets (kurpa), as well as pillow cases. Becasab resembles raw silk (not surprisingly) and linen, because of its somewhat rough structure. Its stripes might look less exotic than ikat and suzani, but it is just as traditional and valued here, in Uzbekistan. And, of course, it is easier to incorporate such cushions into many styles (or at least I think so). I see these as very cottage chic, with their home-made flavor and naive colors.

This particular fabric has a very high silk content - possibly as high as 80 per cent - and is wonderfully heavy and cool to the touch. Its subdued gold color with a greenish tint reminds me of ancient gold pieces. I only  had one small piece sufficient to make just one pair of pillow cases for the lucky buyer - it can be purchased here, in our Etsy shop, and all of my striped bekasab pillows are here.