Long Runner
Striped design, hand woven cotton
This long, continuous fabric is most likely Inabel (also known as Abel Iloco), a famous traditional handwoven cotton textile from the Ilocos Region of the northern Philippines. Traditional Filipino weavers use heavy, wooden foot-pedal looms called tilar. Setting up the warp (lengthwise threads) on these looms is an incredibly tedious, labor-intensive process that can take days. To maximize efficiency, artisans warp the loom to weave a long continuous bolt or roll of fabric such as this piece (often meters long) rather than weaving individual small rectangles.
When weaving table linens, the artisan incorporates repeated design blocks or distinct horizontal borders at regular intervals along the roll. Once the entire bolt is removed from the loom, it is designed to be cut into individual pieces (such as placemats or hand towels) and hemmed on the raw edges.
These fabrics are highly celebrated for their thickness, softness, and incredible durability. They often use an overshot or supplementary weft technique, creating a dual-sided cloth that feels thick enough to protect tables from heat and spills.
Title: Table Runner
Date: 2008
Geography: Philippines
Medium: Cotton
Dimensions: H. 182 in. W. 11.5 in.
Provenance: Gift from Jim Fulop
Inventory Number: PH.01
