Batik Once Again

I just love Batik. So every time I go shopping though I think this time I don't want to buy cottons. But I do end up buying cottons and Batiks or Kalamkaris and the likes. First of all Love natural fibers, be it Khadi (hand spun), or jute or cottons or silks. Secondly I do like hand made products, be it Batiks or Kalamkaris or block prints. I have a very special liking for Batiks though. They fascinate me like the Kalamkaris.

This is a pink coloured fabric that I bought for my Kurtha or tunic. But haven't had the time to stitch it.

I love the slanted lines of the design very simple but cool. I also love this shade of pink.

This is a very unique combination of brown with light yellow and coral orange or should I say pinkish orange? The colour has not been properly shown in the picture. I wonder why? Any way this fabric I am going to use for the pants and teem it with a Coral coloured Tunic. All these I need to sew. I don't when I will the time for it?

Here is the matching dupatta or the stole to go with the dress. Note the bead embroidery on the edges of the stole. These days beads or some other sort of material is used as danglers from the edges of the sari or dupattas.

Now here is a sari which is one of my favourites. This is from Bengal. It is very famous for its great Batiks.This one is done on a very fine cotton known as Mull or rather Muslin. The cloth is very soft and feels like satin. This is the Pallu, the portion of sari which draped over the shoulder. The designs on Pallu of the Sari is one of the main attractions for the sari apart from the design on the borders and the main sari itself. Many a time we are tempted to buy the sari by the design on its pallu. Any way here it is. You can see two Hamsa-the traditional swan motifs with their long tails.This is surrounded by the floral vines. I love the combination white and black with a little red and yellow.

This is how the sari looks. That is the entire sari has the design of the swans, and flowers.

This is the border on both sides of the sari.

Another look at the swans on the pallu.

A closer look of the swans.

A closer Look at the flowers on the borders.

So isn't it beautiful? And that too for a very measly sum. I bought it cheap considering the amount of work involved in its creation.

Mixed Embroideries

I wanted to share with you some of doodling in embroidery. You know it takes some time for any one to pick up the rhythm either in knitting or in embroidery. Unless we practice the stitch on a doodling cloth first, we cannot actually go for the project. At least for me its true. Because I don't get often to pursue my hobbies. When ever I embark on big embroidery projects or even any other art like fabric painting etc, I need to practice for some time first. When I am satisfied that have achieved that correct rhythm, I take up the project.

Here was one of my doodles, when I took up the needle after a very long time. I just practiced on small hand napkins and presented to my mother. You can see that they are not perfect, but then it was fun in doing them any way.

Here I have used applique, lazy daisy, buttonhole, bullion, herring bone, stem stitch etc

 

This is applique using small pieces of cloth from my stash.

 

Here I have used applique for butterfly, bullion for flowers, lazy daisy and stem for leaves and foliage.

 

 This is again applique

 

This is herring bone using two different colours of threads.

Some of the designs were taken from my four year old niece's drawings..like the butterfly...All the embroidery is hand work only......Do leave your comments  please.....

Hyderabad

I just happened to go through my stash of photographs tonight. Well here are two of them which I want to share with you. Both are of the City of Hyderabad, a city which is more than 400 years old. The culture, languages spoken and the cuisine are unique to this city. This is a place which has a blend of both South Indian and North Indian cultures. But still it has evolved into a unique one of its own.

Actually Hyderabad is a twin city-Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

This is a lake which used to cater to the city's water requirement till some years back. But land grabbing and constructions obstructing the flow of rain water into this lake has drastically decreased the inflow of water , so much so that we had drought just two three years back.  This used to be a very famous and perhaps one of the few picnic spots we had. As a child we used to love to go there for picnics. Even now people do go there for picnics especially during the rainy season.  But it has lost its charm now and is much neglected spot.

This photograph was taken on a very cloudy day when we visited there. Every time I visit this place its quite nostalgic. I remember the picnics we had as children with our family, friends and relatives.

 

This is the lake man made, which connects the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. This was developed by one of our late Chief Ministers, Shri NT Rama Rao. On a bright sunny day, one can see the little boats sailing in the waters from the local sailing club. At nights, its is beautifully lit with lights, and has two flotels. During the summer, this place is thronged by masses who want to escape the confines of their flats and also to relax in the cool breeze.They sell ice creams, corn cobs and other such snacks. One one side we have Eat Street, which contains some small eateries. We also have various exhibitions conducted here; like the book fair, arts and crafts, kite festival and so on.