Work In Progress on Wednesday- Saree design

This week was little hectic. Could not write any posts. Could not complete whatever projects I have started. Last week had shared about kutch work design , which I started, last week , is not completed. Many are giving suggestion to use cotton thread on that. So I have decided to follow same.

Here is the sneak peek of this week's project- designing a saree, with Kalamkari border.

Planning to complete this by next week, and share with you.

Until then,

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Saree Design -With Kalamkari border again

I never get contended with collecting and designing with  traditional paintings of India. Kalmakari is one such art. I have kalmkari patches, kalamkari borders, kalamkari duppata, kalamkari saree , kalamkari hand block printed clothes etc. Still whenever I see clothes with kalamkari art, I end up buying that. :-). I have designed 3-4 sarees using kalamkari patches. First one was with Paisley designs , and recently designed some sarees with Kalamkari border for my customers.

Another saree with blue silk material and Kalamkari border was designed with a zari border. If I use zari border and cloth with zari motifs, I can't wear it on casual day. So this time designed Kalamkari saree without zari, so that I can wear it anytime , any day :-).

Here it is :

Kalamkari saree

I chose a beautiful Kalamkari border with peacock design, in light green color. Here is the Kalamkari border:

Kalamkari border

I was searching for a right cloth for this border. I could have chosen dark green or pink. But decided to avoid dark colors this time. So selected pastel color . As the border has pink color too, I chose pink color as contrast. For the pink color , I used the cloth from my mother's old silk saree.

Here are the materials I used :

The materials chosen

Attached the kalamkari patch as border along the saree, contrasting it on both the sides with small strip of pink silk cloth.

Kalamkari saree

The pink silk saree cloth is remaining . So I will use it for the blouse. Though it has some glossy silk look, but I can wear it on casual day too. Or shall I choose a blouse in cotton for this?

Designing dress with  Kutchwork, learning some more forms of crafts. Eager to share my experiments and experiences with arts and crafts with you.

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

 

Kalamakari border- on Chanderi silk

Often this happens with me. Once I pick up one craft or art, I will make 3-4 projects in that particular craft/ art continuously. Like if I pick up decoupage, for 4-5 days I will be making projects in decoupage etc. One way it is good, I can complete the many projects , but cons are I cannot practise other kinds of arts and crafts in that time. This is what happening, designed 2 sarees one after the other , that too with Kalamkari border :)
Last week I had posted saree designed for myself with Kalamkari border

Here is the saree I have designed for a customer:

Chanderi silk with Kalamkari border

 This is an order from one of my customers. She wanted Kalamkari border on pink color saree. The choice of cloth and the border she had left to me. I chose Chanderi Silk in pink,

The Chanderi silk cotton I have chosen

and  Kalamkari print border, in peacock design.

The Kalamkari print border

  Attached the border on sides of the saree, using sewing machine.

Sewing Kalamkari Border

Just attaching the border on saree is very easy and takes very less time. She didn't want any zari or extra border for the saree, it took hardly 1 hour to complete this saree.
To design a blouse I picked up raw silk with stripes on it, in contrast color.Hope it looks good with the blouse I have chosen:

With Matching blouse in Raw silk

The customer is very happy with this. Please share your opinions too.

Working on some Kutch work designs for saree as well as Kurtis. Will share more about those in coming posts.

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Kalamkari border attached -Saree

I'm designing a saree after a long gap. I have collection of Kalamkari patches and borders. One such set of  patches ,I had attached to a silk cotton saree .Recently added  a black color kalamkari border with elephant design. I'm fan of Kalamkari designs and elephant designs. So both together!
Lovely border here :

Kalamkari border

I tried matching this with  different sarees, but I liked it on a black saree, which I had

and also the thin border in gold , which I attached along with Kalamakari border

It did not take much time for me to attach the border. I just had to keep the  Kalamkari border and the zari border and stitch . So the saree is ready:
The  saree looks like this now :

Kalamkari saree border

Kalamkari saree Pallu

And on my mannequin ( its name is chammak challo :) ) , it looks very nice :

Saree  on Chammak challo

I liked this saree. But I can't wear it on casual day. Waiting for an occasion to wear it :-)
Recently started learning Kalamkari painting on canvas. Soon will share about the same.

Until then,  

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Theme Saree- At last my Deepavali saree is designed

This is what happens with me! For any occasion I wish to design a saree or dress, for that occasion, it will not be completed :-(. This is the saree, I wanted to design and wear on last Deepavali. But as usual could not.
It has screen printing, machine embroidery and Kalamkari patch work on it.
The cloth and the lace I bought are here:

The cloth is fine crepe. Liked the lace,it has unique design!Isn't it?

I wanted to design the saree with a theme. As the lace has design of pots on that, decided paint it with" lady bringing water in pot" design. In some handicraft shop I got Kalmakari and embroiderd patches of lady holding water pot. I had screen with motif of " lady holding pot" , design. Used all of these and the final outcome is below.

Stitched  both the laces  along the border and screen printed with the lady holding the pot design along it.And also attached antique Gold color chamkis in between.

Here is the closer view of the border:

The pallu has Kalamkari patches and embroidered patches along with antique Gold Chamkis:

Closer view of the patches:

 

The blouse is Khadi silk.

As it has earthy  color , I thought of Terracotta jewellery , but could not get proper one. So going ahead with Silver Jewellery with brown stones:

I don't have a mannequin to display the Saree. Trying to display it on the floor :-)

I've named this as theme Saree, since complete Saree is designed on a theme. This is liked by some of my friends, some of them have asked me to design theme Sarees for them.  Hope to design some more theme sarees. Hope they don't have to wait long for that!  :-)

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Kalamkari Patchwork on a Saree

In previous post I had mentioned to share about the Kalamkari patch work made on a saree.
Kalamkari is technique of painting on cloth with vegetable dyes. You can find out more about Kalamkari Paintings in this link.
Now these Kalamkari patches are used for dress design and saree design. I had bought some Kalamkari patches , in a Craft exhibition. It was in my stash for long time. Then bought a saree to attach the Patches. It took more than 6 months for me to complete the work.
There is a big Paisley design Patch and 18 small patches. I attached the small patches on the border :

And the big motif on the shoulder:

Some more motifs on the Pallu:

Closer view of the motifs:

 

    
I have not used any embellishment on this. Because I wanted to highlight the Kalamkari painting.
Blouse is also Kalamkari cloth in Maroon color.

Planning to use small Paisley motifs on the blouse.

Once blouse is designed, will share the photos. 

In between Screen printed on 3-4 sarees, and this time in vacation visited 2-3 temples. So many crafty experience to share with you!

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana