Twenty- five Seven

French Chiffon #AtoZChallenge 2017

April 7, 2017

French Chiffon

I can see your eyebrows arching and asking

How, you may ask, does FRENCH chiffon become part of the Indian Textile tradition?

Well, simply because it has now become the standard uniform for Indian Royalty.

Ever since the legendary beauty Maharani Indira Devi of Cooch Behar wore this sari, it has become part of the Indian Textile Tradition. She was the one who first to wear this diaphanous fabric. And its sensuous drape only added to her allure and glamour. Since then, it has become synonymous with elegance and class.

Chiffon is a light transparent fabric typically made out of silk. While many people prefer plain pastel shades, this fabric has lent itself to haute couture. Most commonly, it is printed either with flowers as in this example or with block prints in the Indian style. Often it is worn with elaborately worked blouses in contrasting colours . French chiffons are perfect for cocktail parties, formal dinners, casual teas and lunches too. In fact, its lightweight, flowing drape makes it the most flattering sari of all time.

Chiffon though delicate, is a strong fabric and fashionistas have embellished it with sequins, crystals, borders and even embroidery .

Believe it or not, I even wash my plain/printed chiffons in my washing machine. So for all of you who have shunned this fabric, take note that it is among the easiest fabrics to care for.

Disclaimer : I am neither a textile manufacturer nor a historian . I am just passionate about textiles and fabrics. I have gathered all my information from the Internet. Please excuse any errors and omissions.

Join me and hundreds of other bloggers participating in the #AtoZ Challenge 2017
Embellishment of Indian Textiles : #AtoZChallenge 2017

April 6, 2017

E is for Embellishment

Well I must admit I was stumped when it came to E. Looking all around, I spied a carpet draped on my sofa as an antimacassar and I suddenly got it! EMBELLISHMENT.

Apart from the fabrics that India is famous for, we also have the most beautiful embellishments. The beauty of garments and accessories are enhanced with sequins, silk threads, golden wire work, ribbons , buttons and mirrors too!

Embroidery

Needlecraft and embroidery go hand in hand. Each State of India has a unique style of embroidery. The chain stitch creepers and flowers that embellish a Kashmiri flat wool rug ( the Namda) to the mirror work of the Rabari tribals. Not to mention the fine satin stitches that make up a Gara sari or the Chikankari of Awadh. From the coastal region of Dharwar you have the fine cross stitch of Karnataki Kashida ( Kasuti) while the humble running stitch of Kantha that decorates the fabrics of Bengal. I can never forget the colourful Phulkari spreads on our low seating arrangement in our living room matching their brilliant colours with satin-silk covered cushions.

Mirror work , Sequins, Zardozi , crystal and lace.

Mirror work and sequins are popular too especially among the tribal designs that are bold and colourful.

Zardozi with its rich gold cord makes for stunning embroidery and is very popular with haute couture designers for their bridal collections. Shimmering Mukaish work from Lucknow ( also known as Badla) used to be a popular form of decoration. Nowadays however, the pure silver bits are replaced by a synthetic material that does blacken over time.

Swarovski crystals and lace are popular with modern designers who also use beads and all kinds of accessories to jazz up their creations.

It is no wonder then that people are willing to pay a price for garments that are painstakingly worked on. Each artisan creating a one of a kind garment that is not just a garment but a family heirloom.

Acknowledgements:

http://www.utsavpedia.com

Disclaimer : I am neither a textile manufacturer nor a historian . I am just passionate about textiles and fabrics. I have gathered all my information from the Internet. Please excuse any errors and omissions.

Don’t you feel like going out there and owing one of these fabulous creations?

And aren’t you curious what I’m going to write about for F?

Join me and hundreds of other bloggers participating in the #AtoZ Challenge 2017
Doria and Dabu Printing #AtoZChallenge 2017

April 5, 2017

Doria

From the desert sands of Rajasthan comes another fabric that I simply can’t get enough of. Doria is a fine cotton silk blend that is lightweight and paper thin. It has a unique delicate open mesh like weave that allows the air to pass through. Its is so fine that it is almost transparent and when printed with block prints as it often is, becomes an exquisite creation.

Also known as Kota , this fabric is made up of cotton and silk yarn in different combinations in warp and weft. They are woven such that they produce square check patterns in the fabric. These checks are popularly known as “KHAT”.

While Doria is commonly woven with more cotton, these days doria in silk is also finding currency.

I love this fabric with its ethereal beauty and find it perfect to wear on a hot summer day.

See how fine and see-through this unique checked net fabric is

Acknowledgements :

http://www.kotadoria.com/kota-doria.html

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/7333/hand-crafted-elegance-kota-doria

Dabu prints

I wouldn’t be wrong in saying that everyone is familiar with Dabu prints . You see them everywhere: on saris, table cloths and clothes for men and women. Their lovely earth colours in deep maroon, indigo and henna green are rich and elegant and rustic at the same time.

Dabu printing is an ancient mud resist block printing technique from Rajasthan. Like most Indian handicrafts that languished in the March towards Modern Times, it has been thankfully revived . It is highly labour intensive and is a popular village industry.

If you want to find out more about this please check out here

I’m afraid I’m a bit confused about this print which I found in my cupboard but I am quite sure it is a dabu because it is a hand block printed sari from Rajasthan.

Disclaimer : I am neither a textile manufacturer nor a historian . I am just passionate about textiles and fabrics. I have gathered all my information from the Internet. Please excuse any errors and omissions.

Join me and hundreds of other bloggers participating in the #AtoZ Challenge 2017

E is a tough one so what do you think I’ll be writing about tomorrow? Pop in and find out!