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Chikankari jute table mat with chikan hand embroidery on a natural jute ground, made in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh

Close-up of chikan embroidery stitches raised on the open jute weave of the table mat

Chikankari Jute Table Mat

Curated by Samuday Crafts Pvt Ltd

Rs. 359

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Product Details

Chikan embroidery usually lands on mulmul or georgette. Here it sits on jute, an open, coarse-weave cloth that changes which stitches will hold and leaves the motif standing slightly proud of the surface. The mat is made in Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, by women artisans working through the HCL Samuday programme.

Jute takes a stain, so this is a mat for a dry setting: a lamp base, a fruit bowl, a tea tray. Handwash it separately and let it dry flat.

MaterialJute

Art TypeChikankari

Packaging Dimension32X22X6

Materials & Care

Each piece may vary slightly due to handwork. Handwash separately. Do not machine wash

Product Disclosure

SKU: SD-CHTM-JU-01Style Code: SD-CHTM-JUHSN Code: 56071010Region: HardoiState: Uttar pradesh

Curated by Samuday Crafts Pvt Ltd

Each piece is handcrafted, so slight variations in colour, texture and dimension are natural and celebrate its handmade origin.

WHERE IT WORKS: Wood is the natural partner. Jute reads warm and matte, so it settles comfortably against teak, mango wood, cane, terracotta, and unglazed stoneware, all of which share its dry, low-sheen surface quality. It fights with high gloss. On glass or polished marble the texture contrast tends to look accidental rather than deliberate.

BUILDING THE SETTING: Keep the rest of the table quiet. The chikan motif is fine work on a coarse ground, and it simply disappears underneath a busy printed runner or heavily patterned crockery, which is the most common way people lose the detail they paid for. Plain off-white ceramic works. So does brass or matte black cutlery, with a single stem in a small vase.

COLOUR PAIRING: Natural jute is a warm mid tone, which means it holds its own against deep colours and struggles against pale ones. Indigo, rust, olive, and mustard pick up the warmth in the fibre. Against soft pastels it reads muddy.

WHAT TO PUT ON IT: This is a dry setting mat. Jute absorbs, and it does not give back oil or turmeric once they are in. Use it under a lamp, a fruit bowl, a tea tray, a bowl of dry snacks, or a potted plant standing in a saucer. Keep it well away from wet plates, dripping glasses, and pans set down straight from the stove.

SCALE AND PLACEMENT: Measure first. A mat sized for a side table or a centre table will not carry a full dinner place setting of plate, bowl, and glass, so check the figure in the specifications against the surface you actually have in mind before you order for the dining table. Grouped in twos or threes on a long console, these read better than one stranded in the middle.

BUYING MORE THAN ONE: Each mat is embroidered by hand, so no two are identical in stitch density or motif placement. Order the set together. Adding a piece later rarely matches.

CHOOSING THE GROUND CLOTH: Chikankari is built around the cloth underneath it. The classical grounds are sheer: mulmul, georgette, chanderi, fabrics fine enough that a needle passes through without leaving a visible hole, and light enough that work done on the reverse of the cloth shows through to the front as a soft shadow. Jute is the opposite of all that. It is thick, stiff, and openly woven, with a visible grid between the yarns.

MARKING OUT: On fine cloth the pattern is block printed in washable blue, then scrubbed out at the end. Jute is rough and absorbent, so it holds that print unevenly, and layouts on it are typically set out more sparsely with the motif kept larger and bolder than the same design would be drawn on a dupatta.

STITCHING TO SUIT THE GROUND: This is where the craft adapts. Bakhiya, the shadow work most prized in the tradition, is stitched from behind a sheer cloth and cannot translate here, because nothing shows through jute. What holds instead are the surface stitches that grip a coarse weave: running stitch tepchi for the outlines, and the knotted murri and phanda for raised centres.

It still reads as chikan work. The register is just thicker and more graphic.

FINISHING: The mat is trimmed, its edges secured, and pressed flat. It is made by women artisans in the HCL Samuday self help groups of Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh.

What is a Chikankari jute table mat?

A Chikankari jute table mat is a jute placemat carrying chikan hand embroidery, the needlework tradition of Uttar Pradesh. The jute gives it a coarse, matte ground, so the motif reads bolder than the same work on fine cotton or georgette. It is made in Hardoi district by women artisans in the HCL Samuday programme.

Is this Chikankari table mat GI tagged?

The Chikankari GI registration granted in 2008 covers Lucknow Chikan Craft made in the Lucknow region, and this mat is made in Hardoi district, so it is not sold under that tag. The craft tradition is shared; the geographical scope of the registration is not. Current GI status can be checked at ipindia.gov.in/gi.

Can you machine wash a jute table mat?

A jute table mat should not go into a washing machine, and the care instruction on this piece is to handwash it separately. Machine agitation frays jute fibre and distorts the shape of the mat, and the embroidery thread can bleed into the natural ground. Spot clean where you can and wash by hand only when you have to.

Is jute heat resistant enough for hot dishes?

Jute is a plant fibre and it scorches, so this is not a mat for a pan lifted straight off the flame. Use it under a lamp, a fruit bowl, a tea tray, or dry serveware. Put a trivet or a cork pad between the mat and anything genuinely hot.

Does a jute mat stain easily?

A jute mat stains readily and holds on to oil, turmeric, and wine, because the fibre is absorbent and uncoated. Treat it as a dry setting mat rather than a dinner plate mat. If something does spill, blot it immediately instead of rubbing, then dry the mat flat.

How can you tell hand Chikankari from machine embroidery?

Hand Chikankari shows small irregularities: stitch length varies a little, knots sit at slightly different heights, and the reverse is untidy rather than uniform. Machine work is even and carries a continuous bobbin thread on the underside. This piece is listed as handcrafted, so variation between mats is expected rather than a defect.

Which Chikankari stitches work on jute?

Chikankari stitches that work on jute are the surface ones, chiefly tepchi, a running stitch used for outlines, and the knotted murri and phanda for raised centres. Bakhiya, the shadow work prized on sheer cloth, needs a fabric light enough to see through and does not translate to a jute ground. The coarse weave also pushes the design towards larger and more widely spaced motifs.

Who makes this table mat?

This table mat is made by women artisans working through HCL Samuday, the HCL Foundation rural development programme based in Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, and is curated by Samuday Crafts. The programme trains rural women in craft skills and links their self help groups to buyers. Attribution stays at group level, which is standard for self help group production.

What size is this jute table mat?

The jute table mat is listed at 32 x 22 in the specifications, so confirm the unit and the exact figure there before ordering, since a mat for a side table needs far less room than one for a full place setting. Each piece is handmade, so a small variation from the stated measurement is normal.

Is this table mat suitable for gifting?

This table mat works as a small gift or a return gift, and a set of two or four suits a housewarming or a griha pravesh. The story travels well: chikan embroidery from Uttar Pradesh, worked on jute rather than the fine cotton it usually sits on. Order the pieces together if you want them to match closely.

How should you store a jute table mat?

Store a jute table mat flat and dry, because jute holds moisture and will mildew in a damp cupboard. Stack the mats rather than rolling or folding them, which creases the embroidery. Air them out occasionally if they are put away for a season.

Where does Chikankari come from?

Chikankari comes from Uttar Pradesh and is most closely associated with Lucknow, where it developed under Mughal court patronage. The technique has since spread through the surrounding districts, including Hardoi, where this mat is made. It is traditionally worked in white thread on pale cloth, though contemporary pieces use a wider palette.

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