Handknitted: Warmly yours from Uttarakhand!

Stay warm this winter season with hand-knitted woolens from Uttarakhand!

The winter season brings with it a flood of fond memories from childhood, doesn't it!? The long-awaited nip in the air, being ushered in with festive excitement! An oft-seen sight during winter months would be a group of ladies sitting on easy chairs under the winter sun, surrounded by colorful balls of yarn and knitting needles, busy gossiping, with their trained fingers hurriedly crafting masterpieces. On a Sunday, while giving a head massage, mom would affectionately ask, "so which design do you want me to knit for you this season!?" We would eagerly flip through the glossy pages of the design books featuring pretty damsels wearing chic knitwear and make our selection... and mom would happily accept the design challenge! Within a fortnight or so, she would knit a gorgeous sweater, excitedly wanting us to put it on and see if it fits well! Well no surprises here, it would indeed be a perfect fit! The joy in her eyes would have no bounds. No matter how intricate the pattern was, we would always receive what we had put our finger on. We would proudly flaunt the lovingly crafted work of art, through the season. Nowadays the sight of hand-made woolens is becoming increasingly rare, although once it was one of the leading handicrafts of India.

Crafting magic with two needles and a thread of yarn

It is fascinating to see how two needless and woolen threads come together to magically create wonderful patterns. The accuracy of stitching is what lends finesse to the knitwear. If one stitch goes off the mark, you can clearly see a glaring gap! This craft is a mix of fine knitting along with an eye for detail for the right colors and patterns. A whole range of winter wear - sweaters, cardigans, mufflers, socks, cowls, beanies, gloves, sets for newborns, and a lot more can be handcrafted!

Stay warm these winters with handcrafted accessories

The time is just right to get your wardrobe ready for winter! Team Kaanchi in collaboration with knitters from Uttarakhand and Punjab, is happy to bring to you uber-stylish handcrafted winter accessories.

1. Fingerless Gloves/ Mittens

A modified version of the traditional gloves adapted to cater to the requirements of today. They are designed to keep your finger movement free at the tips, letting you do essential stuff while keeping your hands warm. You may also call them half gloves, fingerless mittens, wrist warmers, hand warmers, yoga gloves, or texting gloves.

They have been carefully designed to keep the fingertips free to let you carry out daily tasks comfortably during winters:

• get a good grip while writing

• type on a keyboard with ease

• do yoga practices that require skin contact, effectively (like Pranayam)

• access your mobile phone - swipe, select, type

• read your favorite book, flip to the next page

• handle the controls effectively while driving

Choose from a wide range of fingerless gloves for adults and kids!

2. Handknits for kids

Young ones need special care during winters. Kaanchi offers an exquisite range of handknitted woolens for infants, toddlers, and tiny tots. Complete baby set, caps, and sweaters, woolen vest, – choose from a wide range to keep your little ones warm. Traditionally, new moms have preferred hand knits over machine weaved, for greater warmth and enhanced flexibility.

3. Hand-Knitted Socks

This is the most essential part of winter clothing, yet the most ignored! While we keep the neck, head, and torso covered, we often forget that the feet need to be adequately protected as well. Available in a wide variety of colors and designs, a pair of hand-knitted socks is your best bet for winter!

4. Hand-Knitted Headbands

Specially designed to keep your forehead and ears warm, when it is not cold enough for a balaclava! This cozy knitted headband will keep you warm in winters and also add style to your look, instantly. It is also an ideal gift for your loved ones.

5. Hand-Knitted Cowls

Also known as the infinity scarf, this is an enhanced and stylish avatar of the classic muffler. These comfy cowls not only keep you warm but also add color and spark to your winter outfits. This circular scarf offers endless possibilities; right from being a simple loop scarf to being a multi-fold neck muffler – you decide what you want it to be! You'd be surprised at how much it can do.

Why Handknits

During our growing up years, we would hear hilarious stories, when our cousins would share how the same hand-knitted sweater, worn as part of the school uniform, had been handed over by elder siblings to the younger ones and lasted for decades. In retrospect, we now realize it was the sturdiness and durability of hand-knitted woolens! Relative to machine-woven sweaters, handknits are much more durable and have the capacity to fit people with different body sizes. No wonder our moms and grannies always had needles and yarn as their constant companions during winter months! It is Kaanchi’s endeavor to support and promote Indian handloom, Indian textiles, and fabrics, and various handicrafts of India.

Bespoke and warmly yours!

Team Kaanchi also offers the option to go for custom-made handknits, so that you get the color and design of your choice! Reach out to us now to explore all options!