My Embroideries

I wanted to share with you one of my works, hand embroidery on a sari.The sari is Bengal cotton cream (off white) with a red border. This is the traditional one from Bengal. I love the combination and every few years replenish my wardrobe with at least two three saris with the same combination but different designs.

This sari I brought it at least five years ago and my hands itched after looking at the plain sari. LOL!. I started with the pallu. I used feather stitch with detached chain. I used to stitch only for a few minutes every night after a very hectic schedule. I used to be so very tired after long hours at the computer. So it took long to finish this simple design. I wanted to do the design in slant stripes through out the sari. But did not have the guts to take it up.

Any way here are the pictures. Well its not a master piece. I know. But it filled all my lonely and agonised moments when I was living away from my family all alone, counting days, hours minutes and seconds to come back. I could some what divert myself from the loneliness.

This was how the pallu was embroidered. I always start with the pallu, so that if I complete the design at least I have the pallu with the embroidery. The rest I may or may not embroider.

 

I have used the same colours of cream and red. But God! it was very difficult to obtain the correct shades which match the colours on the sari. I used feather stitch with detached chain. I used the colours alternately. That is cream coloured feather stitches with red detached chain and vice verse. I was inspired by the wheat fields fully ripe which I happened to see on my outings, before I started my embroidery.

 

 

 Here is a close shot. I used the Holbein stitch at the center.

 

 Close shots of my work on the pallu

 

 

 

 

The rest of sari looks like this.I could not embroider it further. I just wanted to do a slanting stripes all over.

 Hope you like it.....

Rangoli-8

In this post I am going to talk about those designs which are drawn using dots, but here the lines are drawn in such a way that when the design is completed, the dots cannot be made out. That is when lines are drawn connecting these dots, they merge into the lines and one cannot make out the dots. However for your convenience I am drawing the designs in such a manner that you can make out the dots.

Before showing you the designs, let us first know the different ways dots are placed. There are three types;


This is nXn ie like a square

This is called dots placed opposite to each other. At each line one on each side is left out in the next row-say 7, 5,3,1 etc. The row with maximum dots is called the main row and the dots are placed similarly on either side.

This is called in between or center dots, ie, in each row the dots are placed in the center of the two dots of the above row; say, 5,4,3,2,,1 etc. The row with maximum dots is called the main row and the dots are placed similarly on either side.

Now here are the designs.
























Now I have completed the explanation part regarding the Basics of Rangoli. From now on I will be posting the designs. Hope these tutorials are clear enough to understand.

I would like to know if any one wants to know more on this subject. Please let me know. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. So long...

 

Republic Day

Today we Indians celebrated 61st Republic Day. I have always enjoyed these national celebrations. Every time on these days, I become nostalgic, remembering my school days. On the eve of the Independence Day (15th of August) or Republic Day, we all used to decorate our class rooms, with streamers, balloons, pictures of national leaders, charts relating to our curriculum and so on but in Indian tri-colours. When we got prize for best decorated class rooms we used to feel so happy and proud.

Anyways, I love watching the live telecast of Parade at Delhi. Its nice to see our Prez a Lady, and we do feel proud. We also celebrate these occasions in our areas. Competitions in sports and other activities are conducted, flag hoisting, cultural programmes by the residents, especially children bring us all together and also unveil the hidden talents in the people.

Ohh by the way, the three clolours of Indian flag stand for: Green--- Prosperity or relation to the soil, India being a country of villages, White-Peace, purity, light, truth, right path, conduct, Saffron-detachment (from material gains) steadfastness to the chosen path (welfare of the country) and the blue wheel in the center is the Ashoka Chakra denoting Dharma or Virtue

Hmmm today after a long time I got a holiday. But I had lots to do. Could only complete a few tasks. Here are the pics of the Rangoli I made. I have not made elaborate colourful one which I usually do every year.

This was the Rangoli I made using the Indian Tri colours.

Here is a closer look at the design in the center

Now this is the tri coloured rice I prepared.

I pickled some garlic, which I wanted to experiment with since long.

Here are the dates, (dry ones) from which I make the chat pata Mukhwas every year. Its very tasty, and acts as a digestive aid.

The recipes of these three I will be sharing in my other blog...