Learn a stitch-Knotted chain stitch,a Tutorial

Learn a stitch-Knotted chain stitch,a Tutorial I came across the knotted chain stitch while looking around for a new stitch for outlining. It looked like a good stitch for decorative lines and borders. But different sites had different interpretations for the same stitch . The Wikipedia showed the stitch this way :- On the other hand, artsanddesigns had a slightly different version. This stitch is also known by the name of link stitch and I think the above picture justifies the name. The arrow points towards the original stitch as shown in Wiki. Click on the photograph for a better view. If the knots are placed slightly far apart or pulled a little tight , we get the other variations.Have a look at the close up below. Let us...

Read more »

A good deed takes you a long way...

A good deed takes you a long way... This was one of the forwarded mails I received today from a friend. Imagine my surprise on receiving this in my inbox, just when I had my own doubts about doing good to others . I wish there many more young woman like the one in this story who would do good to others and a few like Dr.Howard Kelly (you cannot expect all to be like him,right?) who would at least acknowledge the good deeds. I do not ask for money or a favor back ,but a smile on your face when you see me or a just a call to say hello would be more than enough. Wondering what the story is about?....Read on... GLASS OF MILK One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He...

Read more »

Fixing Shisha(mirror) with Kutch embroidery

Have you tried fixing shisha with kutch work? That's what Iam doing now. After the doodling on my daughter's pyjama , Iam trying shisha on the remaining one. The inspiration came from a couple of pictures of a pouch which Anne mailed me asking about the stitch used. Anne bought this piece while on a trip to Jaipur,Rajasthan. Kutch work is also known by the name Sindhi stitch, Sindhi taropa, Kutchi kadai or Maltese cross and is related to Armenian embroidery .The embroidery is believed to have travelled across continents thanks to nomadic tribes.There are quite a few tutorials available online which teaches the basics of this interlacing work. But the tutorial for this pattern was not available .So I had to experiment a bit on it. First...

Read more »

A child's pleasure v/s aesthetic sensibilities

If there is a conflict between the two, who wins in the end? The little one,of course :) After the kutchwork shisha on the pyjamas, I tried my level best to put an end to the little lady's demand for more bling on it. But she was persistent . So I buried all my artistic senses and added these .... Flowers with Kundan and a round of seed beads in the middle and two layers of flat sequins as petals. These are the kind of flowers found commonly in Indian dresses .Since stitching these flowers take some time, more the number of flowers , the more expensive the dress will be. Needless to say, she was in seventh heaven and wore it immediately without even allowing me to add some connecting vines . Thus the pyjama saga ends!! Love,luck...

Read more »

Handmade Lace - Anyone knows the name?

Some days back, I had visited a friend of mine recuperating after a surgery at her mom's place. While conversing on different forms on handwork ,which is our common interest, her mom showed me some laces she had made. She had learnt it from a relative of hers many years ago. She wanted to know if I knew the name of the method and if other patterns were available. I've no knowledge of laces or lace making,so I clicked a few pics of some of the lace strips made by her so as to show you all. If anyone of you know anything about this method and resources ,please do let me know so that I can pass it on to her. She makes these laces with two long spokes she has resourced from a cycle wheel.From what she has told me there are some formulas...

Read more »