Block Printing in Mumbai Part 1

On my list of things to do while in India, was of course to try and do a a part of the textile trail. I did some on line research I found Shymila Rao, of Blocks and Prints who runs block printing workshops in Mumbai. I mailed her and we soon had a date for some lovely block printing to happen.

Part of the workshop was an intro into textiles forms of  the Indus valley which followed the flow of the river. Dyers, weavers and textile artists lived along the banks as water was a vital part of the process of creating fabric. Each area had it's own tradition and in the past, each print could have easily been identified regionally. The Rajasthan area is now most known for the textile processes done there and the hot dry weather of the region is perfect for the natural dyeing process that has been typical for the area. I learned though that there were lots of regions producing very distinct looking fabric using specific techniques and natural dye combinations etc.. The pictures below has textile examples from the Bagh region and the Ajrak region as well. There are more out there, these were simply the two I picked to highlight. The most obvious difference was of course the colours and patterns used. One was floral and very easy  on the eye, the other far more bold and obvious in colour and print style.

Bagh fabrics

Ajrak fabrics

The influence of the Islamic motifs were everywhere. Having been to the Taj Mahal on this trip I recognized the diamonds and star patterns on everything

Some of the places and processes that were discussed during the workshop sounded amazing! The pictures below are of work done with dyeing, block printing, over printing,  resist printing using a natural mud resist and finally an indigo vat.

Happiness! In the next part I will discus the process and the blocks, the wonderful wooden blocks...

Taj Mahal and Agra...

Mr S is working in Mumbai on a project and I used the opportunity to visit this amazing place. I remember coming to Mumbai when I was pregnant with Master A which seems like a life time ago. I do remember feeling that it was a special place even then. This time we visited Agra and Taj Mahal which is simply amazing to see.

This is the view from the Agra fort of the TM. Shah Jehan built the Taj Mahal at the request of his dying wife. He built a monument that has survived over time. The marble is luminescent and seems to glow in the moonlight. The work decorating he Taj is all done out of precious stones, cut and inlaid into flowers and this is why it took as long as it did to construct. The structure is perfectly symmetrical in every aspect except the two tombs which are different sizes. This was the view he had, taken from his balcony. I found this view and aspect the best.

One of the entrance arches which has carved inlaid work at the top and over the door. 

Impressive when you realize that the marble is carved to size and the precious stones cut to fit exactly, no grout at all :) 

View of the side enterace

Master and Miss were very good considering how hot it was, even at 6 pm! 

The Islamic star and diamond motifs are all over the monument, the ceilings, the fretwork and the floor. 

The Agra fort was also an amazing place to visit. I honestly enjoyed it more than I did the Taj Mahal, the amazing carvings and fun playful nature of a lived in fort is wonderful. The Indian Army still occupies part of the fort and therefore only 15% of it can be seen. I found myself simply enjoying the views and the amazing rooms. 

Amazing place to visit. i wish I had more time and it was a different time of year as the 36 degree dry heat was very tiring.. I am very glad though that I had the time to make this amazing trip. 

A beach bag for a present.

My sister asked me to make a beach bag as a present that she could give to her sister in law. I researched and looked and created a Christmas board on Pinterest to help with all the ideas in my head!
I found a good tutorial on Kojo Designs that fit the bill.

I knew I would use free motion embroidery on it as I love the look of it. I also find it amazingly relaxing to sit there and embroider and it really is nice to have a few projects that let me have a go!
My finished project...

I love it and although my light house seems to be floating in the middle of the ocean, I still think it is amazing :) I added pockets to the back and had a roomy pocket in side that could be zipped up to hold keys etc.. now onto making one for me...

Morley college

September saw me start the advanced dressmaking sewing class at Morley college. The college offers a fantastic line up of fashion courses and having been to my induction yesterday I have to say I am really excited to be there..

The tutor is a wonderfully experienced, precise person who has at times frustrated me as much as the project has. Why?  understanding that everyone has different ways of learning  and teaching. Until I found a way to understand and take in everything I was being taught in the order I was being taught it, a sort of layering of information instead of everything I need to know at once, it was hard. I think I may have found this the most difficult thing yet. I find my experiences and knowledge in the subject sometimes stops me from understanding the whole point. Am I enjoying it? absolutely! I love my commute and gathering of thoughts until I get there. I do come out sometimes in a daze having concentrated for three hours straight and feel like I cannot take in any more. I feel stretched as only learning something new does and I love that somehow this is making me a better teacher. Though more about this later.... 

We are working on this Vogue pattern. It is semi fitted and we re took close fitting measurements and learned how to change the pattern to fit our measurements. Having come from the ready to wear industry, this method of fitting is very different and not something I learned to do. I do love that I will have the skills to help makes things fit better at the end of this. 

Am sure I will have to rant more on this subject soon. Tonight though I am off to browse a newly opened fabric and wool shop called Little Woolies... will have pictures and information for the the next post. 

Butterfly Wristlet review

I recently called for reviewers of the kits and Sara of SewLittleToSay was nice enough to offer her skills...

Here is her finished version which is fabulous. I never thought about adding as many sequins which is the great thing about the kits, we all get to do what suits us. She boxed the bottom and embroidered the strap as well. Love!

You can read her reviews and comments on her blog here. 

Holiday time!

It feels like forever since I posted on here... though I feel like I was taking blogging notes at various points in the holidays...
We took some time off and went to North Devon and stayed at a wonderful house being rented out by a very creative family. It was amazing to be surrounded by so much creative energy. The pictures don't articulate enough just how lovely this place is. About twenty minutes from the coast and with loads of garden space, it reminded me of the holidays we took as children in Sri Lanka.

The art was found object and hand made and pattern was in every nook and cranny of the house.  The branch on the far right is a bad picture of a gratitude branch. Luggage tags with wonderful messages of gratitude hang off it. My personal favorite was of course the giraffe on the wall. A lovely patterned decal that reminded me of far away places...

A line from the chandelier to the window that holds all the childhood bits and bobs, invitations and cards etc...
and my lovely niece enjoying the trampoline in a dress I made her :)

 

 

 Cricket in the garden and boogie boarding in the sea to end a perfect vacation...

August doings...

The summer is almost over and it seems like a long time since school finished. I was very sad at the end of the term as my first class group is done and are moving on. So very proud that so many of them are in the textiles program and are continuing on their creative journey. We all finished projects towards the end of term and I love the dress! Very pretty and finished just in time. Good luck to them all.