Crochet

I have lost my maternal Grannie recently. She was quite a lady. She married my Grandpa when she was just seven years old. She had to care for a huge joint family of In-laws, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins and other relatives of my Grandpa. Apart from this friends and other distant relatives used to drop by regularly

My Grandpa's family were and are still highly regarded in the literary and musical circles in this part. He had a good knowledge of Carnatic and Hindustani Music. So when ever there were any concert in the town, the music stalwarts,used to stay in their home. It was a huge palatial home with a big garden. My mother, my aunts and uncles are all well trained in Carnatic or Hindustani music, either vocal or instrumental.

Any way my Grannie had a lot to do day and night. But in spite of that she learnt music, both singing and playing Veena all through raising the family of seven children. She wrote many songs on her own and composed them. She also collected and learned many traditional and folk songs from Sadhus, beggars and Musicians. She also passed BA in those days and was very good in English. Till she died she used to very proudly recall her student days in Girls school run by Christian missionaries. There she learned sewing, embroidery, crochet and many other such handicrafts. She was a very great cook and made the finest of delicacies, snacks, pickles, be it for one or hundred. She was also very well versed in Ayurveda and knew how to make many of the medicines.

Her enthusiasm for learning something new all the time, interacting with people from various regions, cultures and back grounds, learning about their culture, their cuisines, customs, traditions, art and crafts was boundless. This was what she taught me as a child.

Even when she was in bed, whenever someone used to visit her irrespective of the age of the visitor, she used to interact with them, knowing about latest fashions in clothes, jewelery, politics, movie stars, recipes...she was very lively and enthusiastic.
Any way coming to the point, when I was spring cleaning some old trunks, I landed upon some Crochet items she made. They are nearly 50 years old. Can they be called antique?Alas they have that yellowish tinge now and also have some rust marks. I could not remove them despite the best of my efforts or whiten them.

She had made lots of table covers, tray covers, bags, torans (used for decorating door ways), door curtains and many more. Her door curtains I remember were very beautiful. My mom also used to make many items. But again the door curtains were the in thing in those days. They used to depict mythological figures of Rama, Hanuman carrying the Sanjeevani mountain, Radha Krishna, Goddess Lakshmi standing/sitting in lotus, Goddess Saraswathi, floral motives like roses, lotuses, etc, birds like peacocks, swans, parrots and many other motives like deers, elephants etc. Alas I have only very few of my Gran's articles with me now.

I want to share some of the crochet my Grannie, my mom and my sis have made. I am trying to unearth more of my Gran's and mom's creations. Let me try my luck.

This is a circular tray cover. Such covers are used to cover trays when sweets, snacks or condiments are sent to our neighbors, relatives or friends kept in circular silver trays.

The center part of the cover.

This is the design on the edge.

Another circular tray cover

My Grannie used to put her initials in all her creations.

These are collar for blouses-unfinished

This is a square shaped table/tray cover made by Grannie.

See my Grannie's initials. BSM.

Meant to be bag for carrying lunch to school by kids; made by my Grannie.

Another one, note the design. But such an ugly spot. I could not remove it. Any suggestions for removing the ugly spot? Please let me know. I would be very grateful.

Other side of the bag.

Another piece of circular cover.

This is the cover for feeding bottle made by my Grannie or my mom. Later on it was used to carry flask. This looks a bit freash since I washed it with some stain remover hot water.

The Toran or curtain for door ways.
This is yet again a circular tray cover. but made by my sister.

Center of the cover.

This one is made by my sister, with scraps of wool. She is much more proficient in crochet than me. I somehow don't have much interest in this art, though I can create some pieces myself.

This one is again made by my sis. But this is the one which made by using the nails on a frame and knotting the yarn. I don't know what this art is called. Can any one please tell me?

Hope you have enjoyed this. Please do let me know. Your comments and suggestions are welcome and I would be very much interested in knowing please.

Strength of a Man and Beauty of a Woman

I read this somewhere I dont remember but I loved it. So thought I would share it with you too

Strength of a Man

The strength of a man isn't seen in the width of his shoulders.
It is seen in the width of his arms that encircle you.
The strength of a man isn't in the deep tone of his voice.
It is in the gentle words he whispers.
The strength of a man isn't how many buddies he has.
It is how good a buddy he is with his kids.
The strength of a man isn't in how respected he is at work.
It is in how respected he is at home.
The strength of a man isn't in how hard he hits..
It is in how tender he touches.
The strength of a man isn't how many women he's Loved by.
It is in can he be true to one woman.
The strength of a man isn't in the weight he can lift.
It is in the burdens he can understand and overcome.

Beauty of a Woman

The beauty of a woman
Is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure she carries,
Or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman
Must be seen from her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman
Is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman
Is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
The beauty of a woman
With passing years-only grows.

Lucky is the man who is the first love of a woman,
but luckier is the woman who is the last love of a man

I am back

Hi Friends..

I am back after a long time. This looks like a kind of hide and seek with me. Isn't it? LOL!. Sorry but cant help it. I have been very busy with my work, touring from one place to another and not having much time to be at home. My house in chaos, with me neglecting it for the past three and half months or so.

Added to that we are having some repair work going on. The workers have turned my little garden upside down. All my potted plants have been just piled in various corners. Some of my plants have been uprooted and dumped in some bucket or a can waiting to be replanted. My entire garden and my pots are covered with the rough soil.

Just a few months back I had the top soil removed and red soil put in its place along with manure. My plants were just beginning to gain the strength after a long and tough summer we had. Though rains in this monsoon season were not as plenty as it should be, the few spells have revived my plants. Roses, Hibiscus, various varieties of Jasmines were blooming. I had even bought some plants-like Wood Apple, Gooseberry, Pines and Junipers for training them into Bonsais. But could not pot them.

Now I need to clean my garden off all the cement, stones and rough soil, get the top soil changed and add manure apart from cleaning all my potted plants and Bonsais. Its going to be quiet a back breaking work reconstructing my garden from the beginning. I just hope none my plants die. That's so unbearable. Some of them are quite old ones.

I think it may take me at least a month or two of regular work to set my garden right. But with the festivals of Dushera and Diwali coming along I doubt how much work can be put in.

Oh by the way, some my friends wanted me to post on some Indian embroidery techniques. It was long overdue. I promised them I would do some posts but could not keep my promise due to my hectic work schedule. Now I would like to.....

Since I am back- hope with a vengeance, thinking of posting regularly, I have unearthed all my unfinished hobby projects-needle works, quilts (traditional Indian type), painting projects, crafts and many more. I just want to finish them one by one and share them with you all as I finish them.

Oh I am also involved in making some squares for a quilt, which is for charity. I am new to this form of quilting. So I am so excited. Though I am only required to do the top square by 31st October. Thank you Joan for giving this opportunity to us.

I am also involved in one of the Fall challenges- hand embroidery. I would like to thank Melissa for giving this opportunity. Without such challenges people like me who want to pursue their hobbies but unable to do so due to various reasons cant do much. Such challenges provide an opportunity, motivating us not only to complete the project(LOL) but also to do our best, in the process learning from other members of the group who are all very well talented.

I am eagerly awaiting the entries by other participants to see and learn from their creativity.

So friends just watch out my blog for various techniques, crafts and tutorials in the coming fortnight or so.