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Friday 21 September 2012

Indian Textiles - Stitching

I wish to share some stitching on a Toran that one of my students brought to school and allowed me to photograph and share with you.
Torans are traditional Indian Textiles, which are hung over windows and doorways. Their designs include floral, geometric, animal or figure motifs, and sometimes their gods.

I shall post some of my Torans and some traditional ones soon in a future post.

I teach a class on this subject  based on the traditional shapes of the Toran but the students create their very own contemporary Torans using different techniques eg Fabric Collage, Painting, Piecing etc.
This is a class I love teaching as the students always come up with new ideas, shapes and motifs and therefore all the Torans are very different.

The photos below are the designs on a Toran - stitched with a ari - a needle like a crochet hook to create a chain stitch. Traditional stitching was silk thread on cotton fabric but now in modern Torans the thread is usually rayon.









I love the designs - and stitched over red printed lettering - see in the above photos - can you see them?
Isn't the mouse (or is it?) wonderful? And Ganesha at the top - a "God" -  I love this "God" and I have a stitched piece and a Ganesha bronze sculpture in my bedroom.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

INDIA
You can see where Indian embroiderers get their designs
These photos were taken on my several trips to India
I need to do some sketching from them - the colours and decoration  are wonderful 
I think I have a lifetime of inspiration but not enough hours in the day - wish I did not have to sleep!!






Sunday 9 September 2012



Indian Textiles 
I have a passion for India and its textile. So I thought I would share a few more photos so enjoy






Thursday 6 September 2012

Indian Textiles

Last Sunday on ABC 2 there was a fabulous documentary on Indian Textiles.
The show was called "Hidden Treasures" - try to look at it on IVIEW - go to programmes, then to the A-Z list - it will only be on for a few more days so do not miss it.

These photos below are on our trip to the the same area in India - Gujarat and Kutch areas. This was in 2007 and feels like yesterday. We visited the same areas, cities and villages as shown in the documentary. Also all the people interviewed like John Gillow, an expert and collector in Indian Textiles in London and Salim Wazir, an Indian expert guide throughout the regions mentioned - both are good friends and it was wonderful to see the beautiful textiles so please do not miss it!!!!!!!