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.
