Friday-Free Patterns

Jasmine

Friends it is Summer season here. The days are hot and temperatures are soaring. But God is so kind that He has blessed us with all those things which help us during this hot season. Some of the cooling agents are cucumbers, melons, coconuts, palm fruits, vattiver and many more things. But the most beautiful and fragrant of all is Jasmine. Its fragrance reminds of the SummersOfIndia...:)

Jasmines flower only during hot summers. They are fragrant and mostly pristine white in colour. Some times they may have a little red shades on petals or even dots. But in general they are white. 

The word Jasmine is derived from the word "Yasmin" an Arabic/Persian word meaning "Gift of God". 

In Sanskrit it is known as Malati. Mallika, in Hindi Motia Bahar or Motia and in Telugu Malle. There are many varieties like single petalled double petalled and also the ones with different fragrances like Chameli (Hindi) or Chambeli(Telugu), Juhi(Hindi) or Jaji(Telugu), Virajaji(Telugu), Kagada Malli (Telugu-which does not have nay fragrance). 

In India the flower Jasmine is symbol of purity and fragrance and generally used to denote a pure heart-as saying goes: Malle lanti manasu-Heart as pure as Jasmine. 

It is cultivated in almost all our homes apart from commercially as it is used for worshipping, worn in the hair by women and girls and also for floral decorations.

So this time my free pattern is Jasmine:

This is an artistic depiction of the flower. This can be used for block printing, painting and embroidery. 

You should excuse me for the smudges and pencil marks. I am in a hurry so thought I would post this quickly. 

Hope you like it.

Friday-Free Patterns

I am always the late Kate. I just could not post the pattern in time. It so happened that my systems hard disk is almost filled up with data. So I had to take a back up and delete some of them to create space. It is a real tiring business. One thing is I am not much organised with my Data and dump them here and there. Saving data on external sources takes time. With the frequent power cuts, it is a nightmare. We have had to discard so may CDs/DVDs due to this. Anyway I have not yet catalogued my disks. With the result I had to search and search. I am still too tired from my hectic travel schedule and need time to recover. So here I am posting this motif late..

                     Peacock Motif

This is again a peacock motif. This looks a like a folk motif found as block printed on one of the saris I think. Earlier I just used to make a mental note of these when ever I came across these motifs and drew them when I was back home. I did not have a camera then. So I may not have remembered it exactly. Most of the time I carefully study the details a make a mental note of it till I can reproduce it on paper. But sometimes staring at some one just to make note of a motif or design is quite embarrassing...:) :)


Even if we have a camera we cannot just click at every one in public places. We cannot breach their privacy. So I still have to rely on my memory.

This can be used for fabric painting and embroidery. Chain Stitch, Satin stitch or Indian Herringbone Stitch would suit it I think.

Try it and let me know. I have still lots of motifs to pen properly. I have just filled my sketch pad with ideas. I need to give them proper shape. So brace yourselves and wait for more motifs........

I would like to know what you feel about these motifs. Are they any good for trying out?

Keep watching......

Friday-Free Patterns

Its Friday once again and I am late in posting the Free Pattern. Here it is:

It is Peacock once again. This time it is a folk motif from India. As you can see the artist has designed it stylishly. We don't know the artist as many a times many artists from old times, might have carved this in stone on temple walls. That might have inspired the weavers or other artists. I guess this has been made into a wooden printing block as I found it on one of my saris. 

                Peacock Motif

This looks very simple and easy and can be used for fabric painting as well as embroidery. Chain stitch would look good. This can be used on saris, blouses, dresses to give that ethnic and unique look.

Hope you like this. So watch for more motifs and patterns.......

Friday-Free Patterns

Peacocks

Its peacocks once again. I am fascinated by these motifs. From my child hood I have come across so many different motifs of peacocks. I have noted down some. But alas! I don't know where it has been misplaced. I am searching for it . But I have some with me noted separately. Here is one of them...

             Peacock Motif-1

             Peacock Motif-2

I have given both ways. Hope you like them...Try them and let me know....

Embroidered Butees-10

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Here is the last butee in this series. This one is smallest of the available. I bought this for the blouse to match the sari as well as some to be used for the sari itself.

                  Peacock Butee-Small

                     Peacock Butee-Small

All these butees were available in different sizes, designs and shapes. Some were filled with heavy work and some were very simple. The price depended upon the size and  amount of work done etc. I choose a few of the variety for my sari. It will take some time for me to complete attaching them. I will post the pictures as soon as I have completed the work.

Friends I have given all the butees in detail so that you may note down and use it in your works. I enjoyed sharing them with you. Hope you have enjoyed too.

Keep an eye on my blog. I will post some other butees  next time.......

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Here is one more butee and the pair.

           Peacock Butee

               Peacock Butee-Pair

I feel that  they looked very grand and not loud. I plan to attach them to a silk sari. I am yet to start it as I am constantly travelling and I am also in a quandary as to on which colour sari would these look good. I have few silk saris with me on which I wanted to do some work. Let us see.

Another butee in my next post...Just watch for it and enjoy.....

Friday-Free Patterns

Its time for free patterns. So here it is:

                 Free Pattern-Fowl

This is once again Folk Art or Tribal Art. This motif is that of a bird. To me it looks like a fowl or a Rooster. Indian villages towns or even small settlements across the country have almost similar lives. People are dependant on agriculture and allied industries. Those who are a bit well off possess cattle. Every farmer any way has to have a pair of bullocks, for working in the fields as well as for transportation of his produce to home or market. Cows and buffaloes are also quite common-the number depending upon the financial status of the farmers.

But most of them have a few fowls. Their eggs provide them with nutritious food and their meat is obviously a feast. 

The above is a representation of a folk/tribal artist. This can be painted using fabric colours as well as used for embroidery. I feel this would go well with Crewel Embroidery. What do you say?

Embroidered Butees-8

PEACOCKS-5

This one is slightly different. This butee is more elongated...

                   Peacock Butee

I liked it the moment I saw. Its elongated tail was the main attraction for me. I bought a few for the pallu of my sari. Here is a closer look at various parts of the Peacock, so that you can note it down and use it.

          Peacock Butee- A closer look

         Peacock Butee- A closer look

       Peacock Butee- A closer look

So what do you thaink of this one? Note the work in detail.

Visit my blog for the next butee tomorrow...

Embroidered Butees-7

PEACOCKS-4

One more butee..

                      Peacock Butee

This is one is facing the opposite side to the one I posted in previous post.

                  Peacock Butee-Pairs

This how the pair looks facing each other. This one is of the same size of the first two butees.

Hope you have liked these so far.....

More to come....  keep watching....

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PEACOCKS-3


Here is another one...

                 Peacock Butee

This one is different from the first pattern I have posted. This design shows the peacock on its side profile, where as the first one was facing us. See how the work has been done. See the use of threads, metal bullions, purls and kundans.

There were so many varieties of these Peacocks to choose from. I choose some of them for one of my saris. 

Some more in next posts.....

Embroidered Butees-5

PEACOCKS-2

Here is one more butee...the first one in this series is here:

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2011/02/embroidered-butees-4.html

                  Peacock Butee

This is the second butee-the head is turned on the other side. All the remaining is same.

You can use these as single butees or as pairs facing each other. Pairs would look good for pallu area. 

               Peacock Butee -Pair

What do you think of these butees? Let me know please.... You can also note down these pasterns and try out in a similar manner or by using threads, beads etc .....

More to come. So keep watching.....

Embroidered Butees-4

PEACOCKS-1

Peacock is the most beautiful bird. Its out national bird. Who can deny the beauty of a Peacock. But the funniest part here is that it is the male who has the most beautiful feathers in its train-tail feathers. OK OK I do not want to hurt the feelings of Males. But then God can sometimes be naughty. Don't you agree with me? 

But everyone loves beauty-keeping aside male or female part..:) and every one loves a Peacock. those who are interested in knowing more about them look here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peafowl

Now coming to the main story...I am going to post this whole week(I will do my best) from today some of the most beautiful embroidered butees on Peacocks..so follow me on this blog..

Here is the first one. The magnificent Peacock in all its glory. It reminds me of the Indian Monsoons, the smell of earth when the first drops fall on it, the thunders and lightening, and then the colourful Rainbows, the Peacocks displaying their train....This beauty has been captured here in this embroidered butee or patch... 

                    Peacock Butee

It is a patch, done on a stiff blue cloth with silk threads of blues,greens and reds, gold and other metallic threads-gold and other coloured bullions, purls, sequins, coloured kundans or stones and gold beads. The patch is backed by a fabric so that you don't have to bother about the ugly back side showing through the materials. Since the patch is stiff, it is easy to handle.

Below is a close look at the top portion.

                   Peacock Butee

Just have a closer look. These can be stuck on to fabric-saris, kurthis or dresses as you like, or just tack the edges to secure them.

Those of you who can embroider this design  can do so on a thick silk fabric. Alas! I don't have that much time or energy though I would love to give it a try.

Tell your friends or groups so that any one interested in this type of embroidery can have a look at these.....

More to come......so keep a close watch on my blog....