Embroidered Butees-11

Peacock Again

Friends, recently I went shopping for laces and other embroidery materials. I could not resist picking up a few of these. It is Peacock Butee again but in a different shape.

Isn't it pretty. I am yet to use these. I am not finding time to attach them to my saris and dresses.

Hope you like this motif.

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......

Embroidered Butees

So many of my friends are interested in knowing how to attach the embroidered patches or butees to saris or other dresses. I am going to post on the subject shortly. So keep an eye on my blog.

Embroidered Butees-10

PEACOCKS-7

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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Embroidered Butees-9

PEACOCKS-6

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.....

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....

Embroidered Butees-6

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.....

Appliquéd Sari

Machine Appliqué 


I am back home for a short time. Its cooler here and very cloudy. It  seems that it rained here day before yesterday-a torrential rain for a few hours causing water logging and traffic jam. Well India is India. We have to live with all this. Its called LIFE.


Oh now coming to the point, I wanted to share with you this machine appliquéd sari. Every year during Jan to March, we Indian women buy cottons in preparation for the Summers ahead.


OK. This is once again a cotton sari from Bengal. Well I love the cotton saris from Bengal. They are very soft yet stiff, come in pastels and dark shades, good colour combination, beautiful borders. The range is also very good, a measly Rs.150/- to Rs 3000/- and above. They are also available in plain or with butas or other designs- hand woven. These designs can be small or big. But what I like about these saris are that, they are adorned with embroidery, appliqué, bead work or crochet- something new each year. 


Alas I dint have much time to go through the latest new arrivals. So I missed out on some real new creations. But I bought this machine appliquéd. 


This is a creamy yellow coloured  sari with a maroon striped border and pallu. It has flowers and vines appliquéd on it as you can see. The cloth used for appliqué is Organdy cloth. Mirrors have been used for the center of the flowers. The appliqué work has been done by machine embroidery.

    Machine Appliquéd Sari from Bengal


Just go through the pictures. See how they have appliquéd the flowers, leaves and the vines on the sari, border and pallu. 


Would like to know about your comments and suggestions please...keep watching

Satin Stitch

Hi Friends!

I was just doing some spring cleaning(in winter time) :). I wanted to weed out old clothes and other things which are stuffed in my storage space and I have no space for so many new things. Every time I do that, I religiously weed out old ones, but slowly one by one I put them back thinking, this one I can wear for some time etc etc etc. Out of hundred I weed out, I put back nearly 80%. After that I again think that I need to seriously make space for my new stuff.

Anyway here is what I found recently.

This was a cushion cover. White in colour. This was my first attempt at Satin stitch. I was a little girl then. So this piece is old. The cloth has worn out with innumerable washes. But the embroidery is still looking good-may not be as bright as it was before. May be slightly faded. I am really amazed at the colours still there. The company which produced this thread..Coats India.. needs to be appreciated for such excellent quality.

Some how I don't feel like throwing it away.

I am thinking of cutting the square out of this and add to my album under Satin Stitch. What do you say?

Embroidered Lace

In my last post I posted a pink n blue embroidered butee. The embroidered border or lace I am posting here was in fact chosen in combination with that butee for one my saris. I don't know how far it would look good on the sari for which I selected. Well I will be posting the pictures of the sari when completed. So you will have to tell me then.


Anyway, here it is:

This is 9 meters for sari and blouse. Below is a closer look at the design. This lace has been embroidered with silk and gold threads and mirrors. Here the mirror is not the glass type but plastic one. They are not really durable and one has to be careful while ironing as they may get burned.

Well what do you think?....


Keep a watch on my blog for some more of the beautiful laces and borders....

Embroidered Butees-3

Here I am again with some more butees. 

This is in the shape of the eye of Peacock feather. The colours you can see -pink, dark and peacock blue and green. This has been embroidered with silk threads and sequins with a mirror in the center. The patch has been backed by a stiff cloth.

All we need to do is either attach it to the sari, or blouse or dress with fabric glue or stitches or better both.

This is sold at per piece rate. Other colours are also available as also in other shapes.This as you can see is not heavily embroidered with gold or kundan work. Very light work and not too loud or heavy work.


I need to attach them to my sari. So I will post them as soon as I attach them. Keep a watch on my blog....

Embroidered Butees-2

Here are some more butees:

These are Kairi (Hindi) or Mamidi Pindelu (Telugu) meaning mango fruit shaped or Paisely. You can see the green and white stone with the zari(gold) work.

This  is on velvet with zari and kundans.

Here is one more motif a slightly different one but again paisley.

These are small in size. Bigger sizes are also available. I am going to attach them to my sari. Just give me some time. Right now I am busy with so much work.

Keep an eye on my blog...I am going to post finished sari and also more embroidered patches....So what do you think?

Please leave your comments and  suggestions. I will be very happy. Also let me know what you would like me to post about.

Embroidered Butees-1

I have been posting about laces and borders that can be attached to saris, dresses, chunaris etc.  These are all the most in thing now. These days, many of the sarees, blouses, dresses like tunics(kurthas) and Pants, odhnis or chunaris etc have these borders or laces attached to them. 

I am now going to post on some Butees to. Butees or embroidered Butees pronounced as booties are embroidered motifs. 

• These are available in circular, triangular, square or other shaped patches. 
• The size also varies from very tiny ones to very huge ones. 
• Available in different colours like gold, silver, copper or antique, red, yellow, pink, blue green depending upon the colour of the silk thread or kundan or stone used.
• Gold, silver, copper threads or metallic purls, kundan stones, silk threads etc are embroidered into different shaped motifs. 
• The work used in these may be, simple, silk or gold embroidery, Zardosi, Antique work, Kundan work etc. 
• These patches are done on stiff cloth and are very easy to attach to saris, blouses, kurthas etc. All we have to do is attach them in the required manner.
• This saves lot of time and energy and we don't have to be experts of various embroideries. Moreover when embroidering directly on saris or some other clothing, even a small mistake will cost us a lot. The beauty of the entire work is lost.
• These patches of various shapes and sizes can be used for creating our own designs or motifs on the cloth.
• These patches can be attached to plain saris but these days they are being attached to even printed materials to enhance or high light their beauty.
• These look good on almost any fabrics-cottons, chiffons, crepes especially silks.
• These are available as number of pieces (bigger sized ones) and in packs of 25, 50 or 100 for smaller ones. 
• Price varies with the size and the material used in the patches. But most of them are affordable.

So  here we go....

This is a small flower. See the gold work and the green coloured stone in the center.

See how on the back side it is backed by another cloth to give it stiffness as well as  protects the stitches of the work. So it looks neat when attached to very sheer fabrics. These are available in different colours. I bought this as a pack of 50.

So what are you waiting for? Just pick up some of these. 

Keep a watch on my blog for the latest trends and fashions... I am going to post more varieties of these and also laces and borders......