Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Thank you

I just can't believe it. Elizabeth of Quieter Moments has commented on my Blog. Thanks a lot. I am a great fan of yours Elizabeth. Your experiments with various stitches inspire me a lot and am a regular visitor of your blog. Your creativity with various stitches is something I admire. You are very innovative.
You might be already knowing, Still I give the address of her blog here

http://quietermoments.wordpress.com


Anklet Stitch

The Anklet Stitch can be used in CQ with embellishment like beads etc. It can be used to decorate necklines, on tunics, tops, saris and so on. Why don't you try and let me know the results?

Monday, January 12, 2009

Thanks

I thank Mrs Lakshmi garu from Tirupati who taught me this Stitch. I dedicate this post to her, who is a treasure house of so many arts n crafts

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Learm With me: Anklet Stitch

India is known for its rich textiles, arts n crafts since ancient times. It is a potpourri of cultures, traditions, arts n crafts. There are a number of arts n crafts, which differ from region to region. I want to share my knowledge -what little I have, in this area with you all and also invite you to learn with me different Arts n Crafts with me.

Today I want to share about one of the Embroidery Stitches. This is Muvvala Kuttu or Anklet Stitch as known in my State of Andhra Pradesh. This is like a type of braided Fly stitch with the tie down stitches slanted to face each other forming a “V”. This shape reminds us of the shape of tiny Bells or Muvvalu worn in the silver anklets by the women of Andhra.

As you know a Fly stitch is worked by working of a V-shaped loop which is then tied down by a vertical straight stitch. A Braided Fly stitch is worked by lapping of each stitch over one another to form a pattern of “Y”.

The procedure is explained in the step by step stitches given below:




Fig 1 Start at A and make a loop to B







Fig-2

At C take out the needle from beneath the fabric and make a slant stitch –slanting to right- to D to tie down the loop





Fig 3

Now start the next loop from the center of first loop- at E and make a loop to F




Fig 4

While making the tying stitch for the second loop from G, enter the needle back at D

The next loop should start at B and so on.






I have worked it on Matty cloth to give a clear picture. But this stitch can be worked on any fabric.

This is another example of the Stitch I have worked, using beads and Kundan. The border is worked out with Purple colour thread and I have simply inserted the green thread on three sides underneath the “V”s formed by the tying stitches. In the center I have worked a circular version of the stitch.



These are some of the variations of the Stitch I worked




The first is the straight line. This is very simple.

The second one is the Square 1-where I have worked the stitch in the corners and filled in with detached chain and straight stitches.

Square 2-I have worked the stitch in opposite sides to get the diamond shape, with a bead in the center.

Square 3 is similar to 2 above, but with a detached chain stitches.

Straight line 2- after the working the stitches, a row of detached fly stitches has been worked in orange thread

Round 1-stitches have been worked in circular shape to form a flower

Flower 1- three stitches have been worked to form a petal

I have experimented with the stitch. But need to work out other variations which have come to mind. I will post them soon after I finish them. Why don’t you try it and see if you can come out with some other variations of the stitch. I would like to know your suggestions and comments.


Thursday, January 8, 2009

My Interests

Friends
I am interested in Hand Embroidery, Painting, Paper crafts, cooking, Gardening listening to Music and Reading etc. I like to experiment with different media, textures, colours and materials and create something new when ever I find time.
I am constantly exploring, experimenting new things and in the process evolving and enriching my life.
In embroidery, I like free style. I am interested in Indian embroidery techniques and also techniques from across the world. These days I am hooked on to Brazilian embroidery, Stump work and Silk embroidery.
I have learnt some embroidery techniques and am learning and practising some other techniques. I want to share all those with you all. I will be posting about various Indian Embroidery/other embroidery techniques and also about Indian Textiles, arts and crafts and many more things.
I hope you will enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy sharing them with you all. Because Knowledge is one thing which increases with sharing unlike any other things.

Welcome to My Blog

Friends Welcome to My Blog.

I have named it as Indian Summers. You know why?
As a child when I was in school, we had holidays for three months in the summer, which are very hot in India. I used to eagerly wait for them because I was free from studies, had lots of time to play and pursue my hobbies of reading, painting and arts n crafts.
I could visit my native place, the palatial old house with huge flower and fruit gardens handed down the generations, spend time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and childhood friends. I could watch loads of movies, enjoy eating Mangoes, decorating my long hair with the fragrant flowers of Jasmine, sleeping under the star studded skies, enjoying moon light filtering through the fronds of Coconut, Neem and Mango trees and listening to granny's stories ,her child hood memories, making pickels out of mangoes and many more.
Later on as I grew up I looked forward to those visits of my native place for attending marriages and other functions, enjoying the pomp and show, gorging on the sumptuous feast, especially a variety of sweets, learning more about my culture and my traditions.
Today the hot summers, fragrance of the Jasmine and Mangoes takes me back to those days of my child hood of which I have very fond memories.
I want to share with you all a little bit of me, my culture, my traditions, values- my India in short. I also want to share my experiments with arts n crafts, cooking, painting and all other things I enjoy.

Please make some time in going through my blog and leave your valuable suggestions, comments which would help me in improving my self.