Moroccan Vintage Blankets: Stories From Moroccan Looms
Textile Tales: Amazigh Weaving
Our Moroccan vintage blankets, featuring striped and check designs, were hand-woven in the Atlas Mountains for domestic use. In remote villages, where yarn is scarce, Amazigh (Berber) women have traditionally crafted rugs and blankets from whatever materials they can find. They recycle old threads, unravelling and respinning the yarn on vertical looms to create blankets for their homes.
Some blankets are woven from cotton or wool, while others blend natural fibres with recycled yarns. From scarcity, Amazigh women create extraordinary textiles – woven with resourcefulness, imagination and creativity.
Checks and Striped Blankets
Textiles with unique designs, ranging from perfectly imperfect stripes and colourful checks, to sparkling sequin-covered capes for a bride’s wedding day. Many pieces feature hand-embroidered Amazigh symbols believed to offer protection and good fortune.
The colour palettes range from subtle pastels to bold, vibrant hues – or a mix of both – depending yarn available and the creativity of the weaver.
Moroccan wedding blankets (Handira)
Wedding blankets, also known as handira, are traditionally hand-woven by a bride’s female relatives for her to wear as a cape on her wedding day. Afterward the ceremony, the married couple use the blanket as a bed covering or a wall hanging.Â
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There are different styles of wedding blankets, but the most popular ones are hand-woven in wool or medium-weight cotton in a creamy white palette. They feature intricate weaving, decorative fringing, and sometimes bands of kilim weaving. Most are embellished with metal sequins, thought to ward off the evil eye, which glimmer in the sunlight.
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They are not to be confused with mass-produced ones made from lightweight cotton with plastic sequins. Read more on our blog about Vintage Moroccan Wedding Blankets.
How to style Moroccan vintage blankets in your homeÂ
Perfectly imperfect vintage Moroccan blankets, with wobbly stripes, irregular checks, and fringing, bring warmth, colour, pattern, and texture to a space.
Stripes and checks pair beautifully with floral or graphic textiles – just limit your colour palette and vary the scale of your fabric designs.
Styling suggestions:
- Â Drape a blanket over your bed or sofa to add character and comfort.
- Hang a richly patterned design as a piece of art or create a stunning headboard with it
- Use heavier blankets as rugs, placing a jute slip pad underneath.
Each versatile blankets tells a story of tradition, resourcefulness, skill and creativity. These hand-woven textiles add warmth, texture and visual interest to modern, global and period homes.
Looking to add a touch of artisanal charm to your home? Explore our collection of Moroccan vintage blankets.
