Suomen Käsityön Ystävät - Raija Rastas

Lapuan Kankurit has a long history of collaboration with one of the oldest design organizations in Finland, The Friends of Finnish Handicraft, starting in the 90s. Now, as the company celebrates its 50 years of business, Lapuan Kankurit wanted to refresh this collaboration by re-releasing some of their older designs. First to return in production is the “Juhladamasti” tablecloth.

Raija Rastas designed the “Juhladamasti” tablecloth as an artist of The Friends of Finnish Handicraft in 1991. The tablecloth, designed for the presidential residence’s table setting, drew its inspiration from nature and the architectural details of the Presidential Palace. 

Raija Rastas graduated from the Aalto University’s School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Raija has a long and diverse career as a designer of art and interior decoration textiles as well as church textiles. She has held multiple private exhibitions and participated in numerous joint exhibitions in Finland and abroad.

Raija’s works are a part of several private collections, public spaces as well as the Finnish state art collection. She is a member of Ornamo and TEXO organizations.

Raija designs and produces textile works by sewing and embroidering as well as through many different weaving techniques. She works in collaboration with architects and interior decorators as well as art weavers and sewers.

Nature is breathtakingly beautiful, and, to an artist, each day is an enchanting journey of discovery into the poetic nature. The changing light and colours inspire Raija’s artistic designs.