Short tops

This is a poly cotton material which I bought in Chennai. And the green zari is from a blouse bit which I have been preserving for quite sometime,as I was planning to use it in one of my projects.The zari was just enough for this :).How does this look?Waiting to hear your comments....

Short tops

I stitched two more short tops and for one I  attached loops to hold the string around the neck.Though I am not fully satisfied I proceeded the work as I was not in the mood to remove it.So....here it is.

Thread box

I got the box I was telling you yesterday.And this is a few mm taller than the spool,.. so it fits perfectly.

Do you like this idea?.............

Thread box

I was planning to do this long time back and today I thought of finishing it.It is really hard to handle threads which are not stored properly.

I used the cardboard which comes with a ready made shirt as it is thick.I have a square box and I made 8 strips of 7 1/2 inches.Then marked it 1 1/2 inches apart and made a slit of 1 inch in all the strips.Inserted the strips as shown, and will insert this in the box.This way I can store 100 spools of thread.Each square will hold 4 spools.
And I am also thinking of buying the masala box in plastic(it should be 3 inches in height) with 7 cups inside.That way it can hold 6 spools in each cups.I tried in the box I have at home,but the height is not sufficient.So I am planning to take the thread with me for measuring the height and ...will see if I get it:)Today I am planning to buy and once I buy and arrange my threads  I will post the pictures.

Short tops

I stitched three salwar kameez in the last three days and today I stitched this.This is a princess cut design and it has been a  long time(really long time) since I stitched this pattern.I have the paper cutting for this and so it was easy on the cutting part.But an A line design is very easy compared to this,no extra cutting or stitching:).

Short tops

I have been stitching all these days and finished these tops as well as three Salwar Kameez.Back breaking.As we are planning to leave to the US in March I have a lot to complete.I am also going to stitch some frocks for my grand daughter.I will post it as and when I finish it.In between trying to complete all the incomplete projects in embroidery also.I made a collage of all the tops and here it is......The red and the green next to it is altered from salwar top which didn't fit my daughter..:)

Due to the collage I created the first one is repeated in the end also.

Short tops neck

This is for the neck part.Actually I was planning to stitch a collar for this and it completely slipped out of my mind.Hereafter I am thinking of drawing the pattern for the dress in a paper and insert it in the corresponding materials.That way I think I can cut the material accordingly.And one more blunder happened.While doing the embroidery I accidentally  cut a small nick below the ribbon and thats why the extra strip.(extra work too)

Short tops

We went to my brothers house in Chennai for Deepavali and had a gala time with my relatives.After the festive season I went to shop in T.Nagar (Chennai) for poly cotton material which is not available in my place.This is one of the material for a short top for my daughter.First I thought of stitching it as a simple Kurti and ended up doing some light embroidery.The maroon color is ribbon but not satin( I don't know the material).I washed a bit to check for the bleeding of colour.It was great.So thought of using as a border.I did simple lazy daisy stitch and some sequins. This is the sleeve part and for the neck part also I am going to repeat the same.May be with a bit more embellishment.

Happy Diwali 2010 !!

Dear All,

Wish you a Happy Diwali !!

Tassels.

I just wanted to share this.Normally for silk sarees the tassels are already there or they make it and give when we purchase it.But for ordinary silk there is no tassels at all.So I make this myself at home.

And I finished it in 15 min.

Embroidery for the neck

I have completed most of it and only the three bushes are remaining.After this I am  planning for some beads or sequins around the neck.For the bushes, I used Wheat ear stitch with one colour thread and filled the gap with another.Doesn't it look nice?And for the leaf outer, I used long and short button hole stitch,which is my favorite and the white thread with long and short ,in which I am not so good at. But tried to do a decent job :).I am going back to my sewing schedule from tomorrow as I have to do some sewing for Deepavali.See you soon.

Kutch work

I started this long back and somehow this one keeps slipping from my mind. Now when I was cleaning my Tailoring nook,I saw this and thinking of finishing it now.

Flat stitch filling

Now, I am posting  one frame which I did using this flat stitch in my project.I must have practiced it before trying in the cloth.The outcome is okay and I am waiting for your comments.

Filling stitch

I am currently doing an embroidery on a green top and was searching for a stitch for filling the petals.I was not in a hurry to start that. As I am not very perfect in long and short stitch,and also not interested in doing a chain stitch filling as with a single strand silk thread I just now finished an embroidery.It was back breaking and I needed a break.

When I went to give my Bunka Pansy for framing I saw a wall hanging of the same flower pattern I have, and the filling stitch was perfect.It was a big piece and I really want to do it some day :-P.This is just flat stitch and unlike we fill for the sleeves which is slanted, this was filled horizontally.I loved this stitch and the filling is also done quickly:).I have tried to post the stitch as a tutorial,but hmmm..........I am not that smart as Lakshmi or Deepa in this:D.Here it is.................

And this is what I tried first and finally settled for the Flat stitch.

Pansy In Bunka embroidery

I never got to do a Bunka ever since I finished the Hibiscus way back while in the US.My daughter kept on asking me to start one and so here it is.I struggled a bit in the beginning but as I proceeded I got the rhythm of it.
Though it is not very perfect I think I did a decent job.I am waiting for your comments. I will post one more picture once the framing is over.

Embroidery around the neck

Yes.I finished the neck part and have to do it for the sleeves.Though the chain stitch in silk thread(single strand)is back breaking,the outcome is very satisfying :).I think you all will agree with me.

My Garden

I have been thinking for a long time to post pictures of our garden.Not a big one though, it takes a lot of time and effort to maintain this.Myself and my husband devote at least 2 hours in the morning,watering and pruning the plants.All are flowering plants and we also have a small home garden which keeps changing.We rotate crops.The yield is also good that way.I am giving the link and hope you all will enjoy.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Mahashank/Blooms?authkey=Gv1sRgCP6q65PUptL_fg#

Click the link to view all the pictures
Thank you for visiting.I hope you like my garden:)

Embroidery around the neck

I am stitching all that have been accumulated  in my chest and now to break the monotony I started completing all my embroidery projects one by one.I finished the Net work tops and doing the neck design for the black top which I did with chain stitch.Though I have not completed the whole work, just for the sake of posting I am posting the unfinished work.I am starting a smocking frock for my grand daughter and that demands  lot of work.I will share it with all of you as and when it progresses for your valuable comments.I should thank Vani for the frock as I got the pattern for the cutting and stitching.

I am back!

I am back after a long break as there was a wedding in the family.My nephew got married on 3rd of this month and the entire family gathered in my brothers place in Coimbatore where I also live.It was real fun to be together after a long time.Though I glanced through all the blogs I followed, I didn't post any comment on anything.I was busy stitching my new blouses for my sarees I didn't do any embroidery.Even now I wont be able to do any embroidery as my grand daughter is turning ONE next month.I have to stitch her Pattu Pavadai and some dresses for her as well as for my daughter.I have two or three projects lined up and will start by the end of this month. Just wanted to say a big HI to all of you and thats why this post.See you soon.

Trial piece

I have been  thinking of using these stitches for a long time and today I thought I will try it out.I am planning of doing at least one of this in my next project.I am going to stitch a white  Kameez and having chosen white cloth  I have lot of scope to use various colours .Now that I am able to do this stitch,I have to look out or draw some design to suit this.
Thank you so much Laksmi and Deepa  for your wonderful tutorial.

The flower in orange is Fishbone stitch done with two strands of Anchor cotton thread and I love that one also.

Finished Short Tops

I have completed the feather stitch tops.I did "Muvalla kuutu" stitch from Lakshmi's blog and I think it has come out well.What do you think about it Lakshmi?I like that stitch very much as it is very easy and very effective for the border.In between the stitch I did single lazy daisies.Your comments PLEASE!

Feather stitch

Today morning when I opened Lakshmi's blog I saw another Feather stitch embroidery and immediately I wanted to do one for a top which I am planning to stitch.So...........Here it is.Thank you Lakshmi for being an  Inspiration to me.This is very simple and easy to do.Once I finish stitching the tops I will post it.

Smocking for a round yoke frock

After doing a straight smocking, I tried smocking for a round yoke.I took the basic round yoke and doubled the length of the  cloth and started the work.This was the result I got after finishing.This is enough for the front side and I was very much disappointed as I could not achieve what I wanted.
So again my search for the pattern continued.This was bothering me all day and finally I bumped into a site called http://maggiebssmocks.typepad.com where the instruction for this type of smocking as well as to how to cut your material is given in detail.It was a totally different cutting  method which would have never occurred to me if I wouldn't have searched the internet.

Now I am planning to do a straight smocking for the the yolk of the frock and  will think about the round one later.May be I can do two of this and join it in the shoulder:).May be  my idea  of doing a round neck smocking.I  will in the mean time think of some other way to do a round neck smocking without joining two pieces.Any idea out there.Please write to me and I will open to all your suggestion.

This is only a sample piece I did to know the amount of material needed  for this work and I am planning to do this either in white or some pastel shades. This is for my grand daughters first birthday which falls in October.

Smocking.

After a long time I want to give a try at my smocking skills.It has been nearly 20years since I did the last one.I stitched a grand skirt and top for my daughter when she was very young.Now I want to do for my grand daughter.So did a sample for a trial.I took a cloth of 16" long to do this and wanted to know the finished measurement, so that i will know exactly how much cloth I need to make a dress.I marked dots 1cm apart and did this.I think honey comb is much easier than smocking.So I searched the net for Honeycomb stitch and bumped into a wonderful tutorial.Here is the address.
http://katafalk.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/honeycomb-smocking-tutorial/#comment-450

BEFORE & AFTER

Net Work

I always take two or three projects at a time to avoid monotony.So this one is the sleeves design for the 'Net work'top.Planning to do it for the neck also.The design is also ready for the neck,same leaves.But after finishing the sleeves I will think about it.I have done this with long and short blanket stitch.:)

Short tops

Here are two tops which I stitched.One is Raglan sleeves pattern and the other one is Maharaja cut.

Chain stitch and Sequins

Its been quite a long gap since I posted something.Last month I was out of town for 10 days and after coming back we  again left to Karnataka temple tour organised by Karnataka tourism.That was for 5 days and after coming back I was really tired by the journey and was out of sync for a week.So I couldn't do any stitching.I had a lot to stitch and because of that I was not able to concentrate in any embroidery.That lasted for another week and I am now doing embroidery for a black top to break the monotony.This is done with chain stitch and sequins.Unlike stem stitch,which is my favorite, I thought for a change to do this in chain stitch.It looks simple, but with the silk thread and that too in a single strand it needs a lot of patience to do the whole part in chain stitch.Any way I am happy with the output and here is the posting.I did a free hand drawing and have to do two more frames to finish the embroidery for bottom part of the top.This forms a border for the tops.

Jewellery

Its been a long time since I posted something .I am yet to finish the short top in which I am doing" net work".I am doing embroidery for the sleeves and will finish it soon.I did  a few jewellery, which I find very interesting and rewarding too.The basic materials are available in various colours to match  the clothes you have.I tried a few  and wanted to share with all of you, the same. 

NET WORK

I finished the block for the body part of the short top and have to do for the sleeves.I have to draw for that part sooner. I am planning to do a small border with herring bone with all the three colours of the flowers around the neck.I have to try it in a different cloth and see how it is.Once the whole thing is over I will post it as a short top itself.

Beautiful treasures

These are the sample embroideries done by my cousin,who is also from the same town where I live.She is a talented embroiderer and all these samples are testimony to her skills.These works were made almost 30 years ago and are still fresh and contemporary.She is alo my greatesr source of inspiration.The perfection with which she has done is amazing.I received a lot of treasures from her including some books, designs and also threads which are still in good condition. I thought of sharing a few of her works with you all.

The blue work is done in single strand of Anchor cotton thread with stem stitch and filled with seeding stitch.

Regarding the Peacock, the crown is pistil stich, the neck ( blue and green) is long and short stitch ,the back is filled with blanket stich with two shades of yellow. The branch is in satin stitch, the feather part ( blue) is in satin stitch and the green part is long and short stitch.

The photos have not done real justice and it is more beautiful in actuality.