Beautiful Borders/Laces-3

Frilled Laces

Here is one more type of lace- frilled laces. These are very small in width and available in many colours, including, gold, silver, white, black and other shades. One variety is plain and simple, one has a line of gold or silver running in the middle as well on the edge and another type is mixture of colour and gold or silver.

They are being used for edging saris, dupattas(scarves/stoles) and also dresses. They are sold either as 9 meters bundle- the length required for a sari and blouse or by meter as required by us.

Here are some...

This one is yellow -bright colour with a silver line running through the middle and also on the edge.

 This one is gold

 This is silver

 This is green and gold

 This one is blue and silver-I love this one

 These are some colours put together

 White, yellow and pink with silver thread running through the lace.

This one is pinkish orange with gold.

You can see the elastic band at the bottom of the lace. This is stitched on to the underside of the cloth. I have stitched on one of these to my sari. I will post it shortly. these laces are not expensive and are quite popular these days. If you watch the soaps many an actress is wearing a sari that has been decorated with these laces. 

Why don't you try one of these?

Beautiful Borders/Laces-2

Velvet Laces

My previous post on this topic is here. 

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2010/08/beautiful-borderslaces-1.html

I have so much to show you in laces but did not have much time. OK now here is one more of the laces used as borders for saris, dresses and odhnis or chunris. These days we find a lot of variety. One of them is the velvet lace or velvet borders.  These are available in two or three widths. I think one inch to three inches. They are just plain and available in many colours. 

The laces are available in 9meter bundles, which is required for one sari and blouse. The wholesalers buy in huge quantities and package it like that. So we need not bother how much to buy for a sari. But some of them are also available  in lesser quantities, cut according to our requirements. 

Here is the plain pink one. they are available in such beautiful and unbelievable shades of, pinks, lilacs, black, cream, blues greens etc.This would look good as a border(edge) to plain contrast coloured sari -cream, black, blue shades or even printed one which coordinates well with this colour. 

Here are two laces- thinner in width and with gold stripes. They do look pretty. There are different shades available.

I heard that fringed laces in velvet are also available. But I have not yet come across any in my daily beat. But then it has been some time since I visited my suppliers. May be this week if I visit I will see what else is new in the market.

I bought these so that I can stitch on to some of my saris or dupattas or my niece's frocks. I dint buy the wider one.  One can use the thinner lace (same or different colours) on either side with some other lace in between as a border to sari. 

Well I have not found any suitable sari for these laces. But do have a look at these. Explore and enjoy. Just give it a thought. We can also use these on cushion covers or kitchen linen, kids clothes etc. But one thing is they may not stand heavy washes and wear and tear. Gentle hand wash in mild liquid soap or dry wash may be best. I have not tried to wash it yet. 

So ? How do you like them? do let me know please.

Blouses In Fashion-Benarasi-2

I have one Cotton sari- a very fine cotton, hand woven with zari border- a broader one at the bottom and a very thin line on the top for three fourths length and then broad border for the pallu. Its pallu is also very simple. But its colour is unusual. I loved it the moment I saw it. We call this as Kankambaram colour or Crossandra (flowers) colour.  

This is from a place called Venkatagiri in my state. That is why this is called as Venkatagiri sari. The place is famous for hand woven, very fine, cotton and Seiko(cotton and silk mixed) saris with thread or zari motifs.

I prefer hand looms as each piece is unique and beautiful as also natural.

Generally blouse in matching colour is worn with many saris. If it has a border in contrasting colour, blouse of that colour looks good. But here I did not want to wear a gold coloured blouse.

Wearing a matching blouse would have been perhaps too simple. So I searched for something different or unique. Then I saw this brocade blouse in contrasting colours.

This is the actual colour. In  the other pictures i could not get the colour right. This is the pallu with two zari stripes. At the bottom you can see the big border of zari.

This is the blouse I thought would be very beautiful with it. I am sorry I am not able to capture the real colours of the blouse or the sari  in these pictures. The blouse is shiny because of the silk thread. So getting it right was not possible. The blouse looks more brighter than what it appears here.

Have closer look. See the stripes in gold, red and purple-it is looking like blue here. See the different designs-flowers, paisley. 

So by choosing some thing a bit different we can make the entire dress very unique and different. Had I teamed this with ordinary same coloured blouse, it would have looked boring and monotonous. 

These blouses are available in different colours-single multi, stripes etc. you can team it up with plain saris. So why don't you try one?

Learn With Me- Making of Necklace-3

I did not post much on making of jewellery. I have made many and gifted to my friends and relatives. I have lots of friends and relatives with Birthdays in September and October -Virgos and Librans.  :) :) :).... Well they appreciated a lot and when told them I made it and asked for their critical comments. But they assured me my jewellery was very good and looking like as if made by a professional.

Any way I have a long way to go. I am only trying out simple things. But I have lots of ideas on complicated designs too. I am also making bangles, ear rings, bracelets, anklets etc. to go with them. I will be posting tutorials in my coming posts.

The problem is many a time I have to make them at a very short notice- like some one's birthday engagement or some occasion and in all my hurry I forget to photo graph them. Well I will be making many more.

Here it is


Required:


Red beads
Gold (Matte finished) beads
String or wire
Clasp
Pendant set


Before Starting...


The Red beads are I think Garnet- not of very costly variety. I am not so sure because I have bought some different types in red colour and I am not too familiar with the names yet. I have used 24 on one side-total of 48 numbers.


Gold beads which I have used in between the beads are available in various sizes and varieties; mostly round or somewhat oval. They are available in plain, matte finish, cutting designs etc. In this necklace I have used matte finish. They do look dull but then they are in now. I have used 25 on one side- a total of 50 beads.


The pendant is pomegranate shaped with seed beads and matching ear rings. I have posted about it in my last post. I chose this because the white of the beds stands out in contrast to the red beads. It also has matching red beads dangling at the bottom both for the pendant and the ear rings.


I have used 0.45 mm wire. You can use any string that will hold the weight. Strictly speaking using same coloured silk thread is most prevalent practise.


Method:

• Decide the length of the necklace you want and cut the string accordingly after allowing an extra five inches or so for attaching the clasp. I prefer to string the beads first without cutting the wire or string. This way we can cut off the required length after attaching the clasp without any wastage. 
• The length of my necklace is 27 inches in total. 28 inches is considered to be ideal.
• First string in a gold bead then red coloured bead followed by a gold bead and so on...till we reach half way through.
• Then string in the pendant. Actually the hook of the pendant was too big. So I had wind the wire (to the back side of the hook) to keep it place, or else it would slide along the beads.
• Now string in the rest of the beads and attach the clasp.

Here it is.

This red coloured beads are very popular here. It goes well with many a silk sari-white, yellow, green as contrast and matches maroon shade saris.  But these days contrast coloured beads and jewellery are much in preference than matching ones. Red colour signifies, auspiciousness, prosperity. So Indians prefer red coloured saris or jewellery. 

I have used a very simple design. But one can use more gold beads. Similarly, I have used both gold and red beads of the same size. Actually both are available in different sizes and shapes too. Red beads are of different shades too. Suitable pendants can also be used-made of gold (polished if not of real gold), pearls, kundan, meenakari, glass, fibre etc-either contrasting coloured ones or matching ones.  

Hope you like it.

Pendants-3

I have not been posting much on this section. Well I have been very busy and also ill. Now I am slowly recovering. Here are another set of Pendants and ear rings. These are in the shape of fruits: Pear, Pomegranate, Strawberry and Pineapple etc. They are available in two sizes- big and small. These are made of some non precious metal polished with gold. They are encrusted with either seed pearls or white stones.

This is the Pineapple. You can see the white stones, with red beads dangling from the bottom. You can also see the enamel paint on the crown-Meenakari work. This one is my sister's. I could not photograph the ear rings. She has a matching set.

This one is mine- a Pomegranate. But this one has seed pearls. You can see the Meenakari work and dangling beads.

These are the matching ear ring set. 

These are a bit costly but very nice to look at and unique. They will also keep for long. So not a bad investment. 

What I observed was that all these set were following the red (or pink or maroon), green and white which is in fashion these days.

I have used my set in one of my necklaces. I will be posting the tutorial soon.

Do write your comments and suggestions please.I will appreciate if can do so.

Rangoli -54-Borders-4

Rangoli Borders 

Here are some more borders.

These are with dots-3X3 dots

Floral

Diyas or lamps

Flowers and leaves

With out dots

Rangoli-53

TREES N HUTS


I am not keeping good health and with heavy and continuous raining, it is difficult to complete our daily chores. Cloudy skies and heavy down pours, chilly weather, frequent power cuts and most of all voltage fluctuations are irritating. Voltage fluctuations are dangerous as they may harm electrical appliances. So I was not able to post. Any way, here it is. 

In Rangoli patterns, apart from traditional designs, we try to draw unusual ones. I will be posting some such designs in the next posts. Here is one of them.

I have named this as Houses, Trees and birds. When ever I visit our villages, I like the peaceful surroundings. Small houses or even huts with thatched roofs huddled together, or even sitting in the corner of their fields, lots of greenery, especially the huge banyan, neem or tamarind trees which offer shelter to these little huts, travellers, cattle and vendors selling snacks, tea, vegetables or fruits. I love to see the women, sitting in their doorways or back yards, going about their daily chores- like, feeding the poultry or cattle, sweeping, drying out the produce like chillies, maize etc., either in the yard or on the roof tops and guarding them against the birds or cattle, chatting with neighbours...I become nostalgic. 

Though it sounds so idyllic, it is real hard work and they face so many hardships. Yet they are happy and peaceful when compared with us city folks.

Any way, this design has been inspired by such thoughts.

This is 17 to 1 dots- straight.

This is a closer look. 

I think you can follow it clearly. If you have any doubts, do mail me.

Rangoli-52

One more Rangoli Pattern. I have named it as Star and Daimonds. 

This is 13 to 7 dots.

 Very easy to draw and colour. hope you like it.

Greetings On Dasara

Wishing all my friends A very Happy DasAra. On the day of Vijaya Dasami like Lord Rama got victory over the Ravana and the Pandavas over the Kauravvas, may we all succeed in all our good deeds, thoughts. May the good triumph over the evil, right over wrong, sadgunas (good qualities in us) over durgunas (bad or negative qualities) , peace over the unrest, happiness over the unhappiness and distress. May we conquer our inner conflicts, evil or bad thoughts, May the Mother Durga bless us all with  peace, prosperity, happiness, long life, and lead us to follow the righteous path towards the SUPREME POWER.

Wishing all the very best......

Rangoli-51

Lotus Rangoli-8


Here are two more floral rangolis.

These are seven Lotuses.

This is fully opened Lotus.

Both are 13 to 7 dots. Hope you like them. They are easy.

Rangoli-50

Lotus Rangoli-7--Lal Kamal and Neel Kamal

Wow! This is my fiftieth post on Rasngoli. For a person who is very busy, I am happy and surprised that I could do so many many posts. But still there are many many designs I want to share with you all. Any way here are some designs for Dashera. I am calling these as Lal Kamal-Pink Lilies and Neel Kamal-Blue Lilies..

This is 13 to 7 dots. This is easy. The center flower is fully open Lily or lotus.

This is 15 dots 5 times straight (one below the other) and then till 7. You can follow the dots in both the designs. If you have any doubts please mail me.

Hope you like them. Some more next time......

Rangoli-49-Borders-3

Rangoli Borders using dots

No matter how beautiful our Rangoli is, unless it is surrounded by borders, its beauty remains incomplete. Some of my friends were asking me to post more borders for Rangolis. It takes time for me to remember what I created  long back as I don't have any record of that. I am also creating many more now. Any way I will try to post some at a time. This time I am posting borders that can be drawn with the help of dots.

If you remember in my previous post I have posted some borders drawn with free hand. No doubt we can draw the borders with out the help of dots, it still is easier to draw them with the help of dots. they come out very neatly. 

Here are some:

You can see the dots in black and how to draw the designs.

These are very easy to draw.

Here are those which are a bit bigger in size. But by placing dots close you can reduce the size and vice-versa. 

Hearts, triangles and butterflies....

Hope you like them. do leave your, comments, suggestions and any requests for a particular pattern or design. I would appreciate that very much.

This is at present a dying art. Inspite of many women still continuing this art form, and men also taking up this with a passion, so many new forms or varieties like Rangolis in water, free hand Rangolis etc., are being created and added. But the original art form, the traditional designs are dying out. Even I don't remember so many of the designs which are specially drawn on special occasions like the Dhanurmasam, Sankranthi etc. One form of drawing the Rangolis-free hand using lines which we call as Dravidian style of Rangoli drawn especially during the one month of Dhanurmasa(when the Sun enters, Sagittarius) and the ones drawn during Sankranti-like Daarula Muggu (path ways) to enable the lord into the house, and that design which does not allow Sankurmaya into the house, chariots etc are all being lost. 

Recently when I visited my native place, I interacted with the women of older generation and they could give me some patterns. 

My sincere effort is to keep this live and pass it on to the next generation, so that this art form is live. Hope you all help me in this. please do contribute if you have any old and traditional designs. Send them my email and I will post them. you can also share your experiences with this art form please especially the seniors.

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Rangoli-48

Fishes


As I told you earlier I keep on doodling something or the other. Especially in case of rangoli patterns, with same set of dots I try to create many design and that too on different topics. Well here are some fishes.

This is 15 to 1 dots.

 Same 15 to 1 dots. But another pattern here.

A closer look.

More to be posted...Keep a watch....