Works in progress Wednesdays-156

I can’t say this was a productive week embroidery wise. We had a very long weekend because of National day holidays. The climate is quite cool here. Eating out, watching old movies and just driving around. The days were well spent. It was hard to come near the computer. The SSS challenge is just the way it was last week.
Projects
Blue ikat tunic
The closed herringbone stitch in pink thread was completed on this border, while watching movies. I started with green thread, working the same closed herringbone as filling. The work is quite meditative I suppose.

Since I have bought too many tunic fabrics, there is personal commitment to work on them. But these days, I feel a tiredness creeping in once in a while. Though there is happiness in designing and working the embroidery, most of my other work are set aside for another time. There is always one new tunic waiting to be designed. The UFOs are not even looked at. May be all these thoughts are because of moving towards the end of the year. Some important thinking, changing, organizing is required.

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Works in progress Wednesdays-154

Have to confess that there was no progress on SSS challenge. Valuable time which can be used for working this challenge stitches is kidnapped by net browsing with the excuse of looking for new embroidery ideas. It is enjoyable pastime for now. Have to keep it in check before it leads to addiction.
Projects
The embroidery for red striped tunic was completed and it is with the tailor now.
Green yellow ikat tunic
Some more progress has been made on this mirror mandala embellishment project. Hoping to complete it tomorrow.

Blue grey ikat tunic
This is the next project waiting to be started. The tunic set fabric is mercerized cotton. My love for woven ikat fabric continues. The salwar is also mercerized cotton in grey. The idea is to work the embroidery on neck and sleeves on this blue fabric on the right.

This is an inspiration from a tunic which had floral printed border on its neck. The fabric and the design were different.

 

 

Works in progress Wednesdays-151

This week was good in progress on SSS challenge. Three stitches- Rumanian stitch, Hungarian stitch and Bosnian stitch were completed. Braid stitch is the next in line. It is not behaving friendly with me. When I seem to get the slightly familiar, if a break comes, getting back to the rhythm is hard. Should I have chosen a smaller design to try this stitch? Too late now. Just have to keep doing it.
Red striped tunic
I have started with rope stitch on the stems on this red fabric.

We are having another festival today, Diwali. This time it was preparation of traditional sweets, snacks and some herbal paste to digest these highly heavy things. It was definitely an interesting week. but hard to find time to write a post.

 

Work In Progress Wednesdays-141

Last week’s stitch half bullioned chain stitch on SSS challenge was attempted, struggled and completed on Saturday. This week’s stitch looks a bit difficult, have to try after this weekend.
This week’s stitch on TAST challenge has closed herringbone stitch, which was worked on earlier challenge. This stitch was worked on allover continuous pattern, which did not require any variations. Posting on FB group page may not be necessary.
Project details
Cream linen tunic in kutchwork

The designing is nearing completion. Then begins the process on tracing. The pattern has three parts. Neck, and two borders. These have to be coordinated while tracing the pattern on the cream fabric. This fabric is a light weight soft cotton, easier for this work. The kutchwork design is drawn on 5 mm graph, so the embroidery may not be too thick worked with two strands of thread.
The simple embroidery on bright green tunic was completed. The tiny pleats are used as outlines and two borders were worked – back stitch in dark green and double cross stitch in light green threads.

Round mirrors were worked on the neck with pink thread. It feels good to work simple embroidery and complete the project in two days work. The green cotton fabric is not very soft, still looks bright. Have to see the effect after washing.
Cream
This week there was not much time to work the zardosi embroidery. I have started filling with the violet zardosi beads on the flowers.

 

Work in Progress Wednesdays-139

After the holidays, this week was fairly productive week on embroidery.
Stitch challenges
This week’s stitch on TAST challenge is woven trellis stitch, the samples of which were worked twice on earlier TAST challenges. The post linking them was uploaded on FB group page.
Today I started working this week’s stitch on SSS challenge. The details of the samples will be posted after the sampler is completed. conclusion- favourite stitch – buttonhole.
Projects
The work on green benarasi georgette was completed. The details will be posted soon.
Two kutchwork borders in red thread were worked on this cream neck pattern. It is ready to go to the tailor.

After working another chain stitch outline in pink thread, I started to work the stem stitches in green.

This week’s fascination was rilli applique technique on the net. When the professionals do the work it looks easy, but it needs to be practiced.
We have a few regions in India- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Rajasthan, Gujarat- where this technique is used. In Uttarpradesh and Bihar it is used on clothing on light colours. In Rajasthan this is used on bridal dresses with metallic ribbons, in Orissa it is worked on home décor, including umbrellas and hall decorations, it gives a totally different look. The colours are bright and eye catching. In Gujarat it used with other embroidery techniques.

 

Work in Progress Wednesdays-137

The Y stitch sampler on SSS challenge was completed on Saturday. This week is revision of last five stitches. The stitches on TAST challenge were worked earlier.
The cream yoke needed some lavender elements on it. They were worked this week. The details will be on a separate post.
Before starting with zardosi embroidery on this pink silk/cotton fabric, some outlines have to be worked with threads. This week, it is chain stitch with antique violet colour skein.

After working the border pattern with herringbone filling, a small kutchwork motif with sharp edges was worked with the same blue thread on this cream fabric.

This week will be spent on the progress of these two projects, the work on benarsi georgette neckline will resume after this.

 

Work in Progress Wednesdays-136

Stitch challenges
The last two week’s challenge stitches on TAST challenge were worked on earlier challenges. So not much of work is there on it. Yet to start exploring another innovative stitch on SSS challenge.
Projects
Two projects came as a surprise.
The green benarasi georgette tunic came back from the tailor without the inner neckline! He thought it was something to be trimmed out. After getting over this idea of vanishing neckline, I might be able to get on the job of placing the white stones.
Another surprise started in India. I had cream tunic with mirror work on it worked way back in 2014. It was slightly short and did not go well with the salwar. I had a lavender fabric to be matched with the mentioned salwar. Suddenly these two – the cream tunic and the lavender fabrics got together and became one lavender tunic with cream mirror work.
The cream embroidered piece needed some lavender elements on it, the work on it started on Monday.

More details will be posted in a few days.
Simple embroidery for the blue block printed tunic was started on cream fabric.

The work on string bag was completed and is with the tailor. I should definitely start sewing again if time permits.
The violet matka silk needs zardosi embroidery border worked in pink silk/ cotton fabric. it started with chain stitch in violet metallic thread.

It was a productive week.