Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-4

This tunic also as a motif below the yoke borders.

B&B kan-motif pattern

The motif worked with medium blue, dull gold and white threads.

B&B kan-m1

The motif looked like this after working with dark pink thread.

B&B kan-m2

Some more running stitch filling and stem stitch outlines were done with medium blue and light blue threads.

B&B kan-m3

The motif, after working the antique gold beads inside stem stitches.

B&B kan-m4

The completed tunic-
The yoke with printed fabric-

B&B kan-tunic yoke

The tunic-

B&B tunic

The sleeves with printed border.

B&B kan-tunic sleeve

I wear this tunic with light blue [same shade as the printed fabric base] leggings. I do tend to work with these colours quite often!

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-3

The pattern for yoke was similar to the sleeves, except for the dark pink details.

B&B kan-pattern yoke

Filling done on part of the squares.

B&B kan-y1

Triangles on the border worked with the same blue thread.

B&B kan -y2

After working with light blue thread and dull gold thread. The centre space is for the printed light blue fabric.

B&B kan-y3

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-2

The crosses done with dull gold cotton skein were worked with running stitch filling in dark pink thread.

B&B kan-s4

The medium shade blue thread was used for lining the oval shapes over the dark pink circles. These  were worked in stem stitch. light blue thread was worked on other part of the triangles on the squares and the border lines.

B&B kan-s5

Tiny antique beads were added inside the oval shapes. The picture is out of focus here.

B&B kan -s6

After completing the embroidery on the sleeves, they were placed on the printed light blue fabric which will the border the sleeves.

B&B kan -s7

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-1

I was inspired by tunics embellished by simple Kantha embroidery of Bengal. This embroidery was done mainly on sleeves and front of the tunic. The chosen tunic fabric was dark blue striped Mangalagiri handloom cotton. I had this block printed light blue fabric, which I used for the sleeve border and yoke.
The sleeves-
A geometrical border was drawn on graph sheet.

B&B kan-sleeve pattern

The used two strands of cotton skeins in two shades of blue, gold and dark pink. Kantha embroidery is running stitch worked on various patterns. The work looks like weave at some places. Starting with medium blue,

B&B kan-s-1

The triangles which form the square are also worked with this blue-

B&B kan-s2

Then moved on to golden colour skein

B&B kan-s3

 

Multi coloured cream yoke-2

Chain stitches were worked with bluish green thread.

mccreamyk-3

The curves connecting the border and the small squares were worked in chain stitches with light green thread

mccreamyk-4

The closer look of the embroidery.

mccreamyk-closeup

I gave this embroidered yoke to my friend.it was hard choosing colours without seeing the background fabric, because I sometimes get inspired by seeing the fabric to be embroidered. I generally use colours similar to vegetable dye ,which is important aspect of kalamkari fabrics, to work , but this time it was different

 

Indigo print on yellow tunic-2

The yoke and the neckline worked with mirror outlines-

Ipyellow-4 neckline

Another outline for mirrors were worked with pink and gold zari thread.

Ipyellow-5

Yoke with large mirrors worked in four strands of blue cotton skein.

Ipyellow-6

The small mirrors on the neckline were worked in two strands. Light blue cone thread was couched down around the neckline and yoke.

Ipyellow-7

The yoke placed on the fabric

Ipyellow-8 yoke on tunic

The completed tunic.

Indigo print on yellow tunic

The fabric looks different, because I wanted avoid my reflection, flash and light source from the window on the mirrors. This tunic is ideal to be worn with blue jeans or leggings or salwars.

 

Indigo print on yellow tunic-1

This tunic fabric is soft handloom cotton in mustard yellow colour and on it are large block printed floral prints in Indigo blue.

Ipyellow-tunic fabric

The idea was, to embroider neckline and yoke with large and medium round mirrors.This yoke fabric was indigo blue with small stripes in black, which was perfect.

Embroidery details-
The spaces in between the mirror placements were embroidered in Cretan stitch filling in yellow colour of the tunic fabric.

Ipyellow-1

The yoke part- the Cretan fillings were outlined with zari[metallic] thread. The mirror circles were also outlined in chain stitch with majenta cone thread.

Ipyellow-2

 

 

 

TAST 2013 10.58.Woven detached chain stitch-4

I am still in the journey of combining the woven detached chain stitches with other stitches to form stitch motif patterns. After working on them ,I completed this sampler here.

10.58.woven detached chain st-sampler3

8. These motifs were done with Woven detached chain stitches and- woven wheel, Algerian eye variation, French knots.

10.58.w d chainst-8

9.The first motif was worked with sailor stitch combination, the second motif with buttonhole wheel cup and the third motif with pistil stitches and in the last motif I worked two more chain stitches over the woven detached chain.

10.58.w d chainst-9

In the first piece, I tried this stitch with sheaf stitch to experiment this as filling stitch. The second one is worked with Italian border stitch. The top one of the last sample is laced with rimjim thread. Then I tried working this woven detached chain stitches over a piece of lace in the last one.

10.58.w d chainst-10

The whole sampler-

10.58.woven detached chain st- sampler

This stitch is an easier way adding decorative element to seams. Though Sharon suggested this stitch will be useful for working leaves, I did not try this as leaf, mainly because I wanted to work some motifs. I had good practice of this stitch in this sampler. And it was fun experimenting with it as Pamela pointed out.

 

Engagement decorations-2- quotes-1

After working on the cloth hanger, the next idea was to have some decorations.
Blue was the colour theme.
The first part of this idea was to choose romantic quotes, print them on paper, decorate them and hang them on strings along with sparkling lights around the hall. The choice of quotes were made by the couple- Balaji and Charanya
These were the quotes-
1.Love is just a word until you gave it a meaning.
2.Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eyes.
3.It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
4. Only two kind of people will not mind what you say…
The one for whom you are nothing
And
The one for whom you are EVERYTHING…
5. The best gift you got in your life is “finding someone who knows all your mistakes and weaknesses and still thinks you are completely amazing…”
6.Boy: Can I hold your hand?
Girl: No
Boy: Why
Girl: Because it hurts when you leave it…
7. Lovely relationships not only depend on the spoken words but also depends on understanding the unspoken words…
8.Thoughts of love are too deep to be expressed and are too strong to be suppressed…
9.Night is longer than day for those who dream and Day is longer for those who make their dreams come true.
10. Memories are treasures that no one can steal..
11. an eye with an dust and A Heart with Trust Always Cries..
12. a meaningful silence is always better than meaningless words.
13. love is not maximum emotion, Love is maximum commitment.
14. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
15. If you want something you never had, you need to do something you have never done..
16. love is like a good cake, you never know when it’s coming but you’d better eat it when it does.
17. Difference of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our heart are open.
18. Gravitation is responsible for people falling in love.
19. A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve.
20. Health is the greatest gift..
Contentment is the greatest wealth.. and
Faithfulness the best relationship…
21.stop looking for love,, Start being lovable.
22.There is only one kind of love…
But..
There are many versions.
23. Love does not make the world go around. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
24.No man is truly married until he understands every word his wife is NOT saying.
25. love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself.
26. He stole my heart and I am planning to take revenge.. I am going to steal is last name..
These  were printed -

q-1

And cut in shapes to be hung-

q-2

Blue glitter was scattered by my nephew[ very patient!] on the outline which was glued previously. these glitters were the cause of so much fun for us!

q-3

Outlines with glitter-

q-4

The decorated quotes are getting ready to be hung with paper doilies

q-5

The second part of this idea was to make flowers balls to be  hung  along with these quotes. Details will be on my next post.

 

Embroidery, tunic, border pattern, bead work,own design

The tailor had given me the centre piece of the tunic fabric to work the yoke. I was eager to start the embroidery, but forgot to take picture after each thread. The threads used were cotton skeins and metallic threads in green and copper and gold. The yoke-

gregold-y1

The yoke after completion with beads and sequins.

gregold-y2

The pattern for the yoke-

gregold-ypattern

The tunic-

gregold-t1

Sleeves-

gregold-t2

Yoke-

gregold-t3

I wear this tunic with same yellow fabric of the borders. This kind of colour combination is typical of south Indian silk sarees. I love this tunic and enjoyed working on this.