Getting on with things

The sun is shining, but there is a very cold March wind outside.   

The good news is, it is perfect in the conservatory to catch with 

with some dyeing.  First job to dye some threads.

Next prepare and dye samples for the shibori workshop at the end 

of the month.

Frantic activity 'cos with any luck Keith is going to revamp the 

conservatory in the next week (or two), which means no dyeing

 until it's done.   I have been using it as my 'wet room' for at least 

twelve years so you can imagine, despite all attempts to keep

  things relatively clean, the odd dye accident has happened!   

New square sink, with draining board this time, more shelf 

and storage space, and an excuse to visit our new Ikea 

Thanks for comments on last blog.  I think we are all the same, 

regardless of 'filing' systems.   So, bring on the creative mess,

 the search, and procrastination, it's all part of the process.

 

Pots - Part III

Getting back into the swing of things again, here is my March 

Journal Quilt.    A little bit of dyeing and some mono printing, 

but not too much, it has turned cold again and the 

conservatory is not a place to hang about in when the 

temperature drops.

Elements

Nothing to do with the weather, rather shapes, pattern 

and texture from the previous two Journal Quilts.   

Lots of hand stitching, french knots, fly, seed and 

blanket stitch on background of calico, dyed 

muslin and snippets of fabric.   Breaking out a bit 

here, trying to lose the Virgo tendency to neatness 

and straight lines.

Of course, I had to delve into every box of fabric to 

find just the right pieces, then to find threads.  

Result - room in total mess.   I can feel an attack of 

the Virgo's coming on.....hmm, perhaps I should 

have a tidy up.

Kala Raksha

I started my blog last January with the idea of a visual diary for family, friends and students.  The reason for my trip was an invite to a Mela and the graduation of students from Kala Raksha Vidyalaya.   Truly amazing.    The Fashion Show could have hosted the stages in London, Paris or Rome.

Judy Frater founded  the Kala Raksha Trust in 1991 - see link.    She has been chosen for the 2009 Sir Misha Black's medal for distinguished services to design education, and will be coming to London to received the award.   If you can make it, there will be a Trunk Show with Judy Frater of  the work of artisans from Kala Raksha from 25th to 28th March at Joss Graham, 10 Eccleston Street, London SW1W 9LT.

Aly and I spent a wonderful day with Judy at the Design School, sitting in on the Mens' Design Class and enjoying the presentation of homework by Dr. Ismail's nephew.   The sample was ajrakh cloth, using first primary colours, then secondary colours, tertiary colours etc.  Wow, there were some amazing results - lifting the traditional craft and colour combinations on in a way probably never envisaged before.

Washing and drying

Tanks for washing and rinsing cloth to remove

neerani mixture

Another process - dyed cloth, beaten using a dhoki

paddle to dislodge resist pastes.

Print drop cloths, washed and drying in sun

Madder dye and printed cloth

Spread out on the ground to dry

Detail

Time for chai?

Ajrahk

We spent a glorious morning with Dr. Ishmail, who took us through the process of Ajrahk - hand block printing and resist dyeing.   Natural dyes are used - indigo, madder and printed mordants.   To complicated to go into great depth here, but there are books on the subject, and I am sure you can google "Ajrahk" for more details.

Dr. Ishmail Mohammed Khatri - master dyer

Dyeing area for vegetable dyes

Background - preparation of iron water

Foreground - linen, dye painted black, dyeing in sun

A peek at the indigo vat- showing the indigo 'rose'.

Printing blocks

Dhori gach resist - tree gum, clay,

water and miller flower paste

The process of printing and dyeing the cloth takes

fourteen stages, from scouring the original 'grey' cloth

with three soakings in neerani solution, consisting of

a mixture of castor oil, soda ash and camel dung;

dyeing, printing, resists and then the final wash.

The finished cloth

I scribbled away making notes, trying to remember each process, but I think I might 

have to invest in a book!   Dr. Ishamil was a very generous host, answering many 

questions.  I have a scaled down recipe for iron water - roll on a hot summer, in the 

meantime I shall be scouring Dorset for bits of iron to add to the pot.

After wandering round the block printing area, looking at bubbling vats, yards of 

printing blocks,  it was time for chai.  I will leave it to your imagination the joys 

of the cupboard, pulling out wonderful pieces of ajrahk fabric.  Of course, a few 

pieces made their way to Oz and England.

How do they do that?

Kutchi Rabari child's waistcoat panel

Beautifully embroidered panel, with round, square and triangular mirrors.

True shisha cannot be bought other than in a rough round shape, so how

to make other shapes?  "Just cut with scissors" was always the reply.

Aha, a breakthrough!   This trip I found the answer - these rather 

evil, but effective snips.    Still trying to find where shisha is

blown and slivered, tantalizingly close.  Maybe all will be

revealed next trip?!!

More pix on indigo, ajrakh printing and natural dyeing soon.

Villages

North of Bhuj there are many villages, each specialising in a particular craft. It's a grand day out - travelling from Bhuj to the most northern villages, almost as far the Rann of Kutch and the Parkistan border.

Zura is famous for it's lac work, with the additional bonus

of rather 'interesting' dolls made by the children.

Bell making in Nirona.   The bells are used by shepherds and cowherds to locate their herds.   Made from waste iron sheets, the pattern is marked out and converted into a bells with beating and punching and shaping.   The handle is fixed then the bell shape is covered in mud water and sprinkled with small bits of brass and copper. A mold is made with clay to cover the bell, which is then placed in a charcoal fire. The temperature is increased to fuse the metal.  

On breaking open the mold the bell is no longer iron, but has a wonderful metallic patina.     The bell is beaten on the

edge with a hammer to obtain the desired sound - finally the tongue made of wood is fixed from the inside.   The bells go from huge to tiny.

Meanwhile there is always the washing to do.

The painted bhungos of Ludia are worth a visit

Interior wall decoration - the dark pieces are mirrors

The potter at Khavda - hand turned terracotta water pots, 

dishes, bells and chai cups

Decorating dishes