Time flies when you are enjoying yourself.    We've been back home for three weeks which have been full what with celebrations and a family gathering.     Thoughts of early hibernation came to mind - all that rain and grey skies.

Onwards and upwards.    Delved into the sewing 'basket' and discovered a pair of jeans that I had promised I would patch way back in the Spring, along with various garments that needed buttons replacing.   Felt very virtuous.

then there are the leaves, big brown soggy piles of them

not very inspiring!  

and now tidy black bags of wet leaves  and that is only from the front garden

I am thinking I should try to procure some really bright refuse bags!

the back garden will probably produce as many bags again

still, it is very good exercise lugging bags up hill and down dale

time for some colour

I never take any stitching with me on my trips instead I prefer to

sketch, make notes, take photographs and catch up with reading

this time I thought I would, however, hardly a stitch was sewn

the stitching on the old distressed cushion from 

Ghanerao  had to be recorded in stitch

oops some of the beads came home with me

I have some 'found objects' to be included at some point

meanwhile I have been researching Chemanthi Stitch which is

used as flower petals on this fragment of Indian embroidery

which I think might be Rabari from Bhuj, Kutch

I found Lakshmi Sadala's blog with a brilliant tutorial on Chemanti 

stitch, not only in pictures but also a video.    I have to admit it 

took me a few goes before I cracked it

a little stitchy sketch on the go

high summer

slowing down, not rushing

enjoying warm (hot) days

picking courgettes and beans

then eating them for supper

at last Saturday's workshop on Indian Stitching we looked at

banjara stitching

kantha stitching

Indian mirror work

and little samplers were started

which might look like this

I've read The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey - strangely wonderful

next up,  Rumi The Fire of Love by Nahal Tajadod, the story of the great Sufi poet

 and creator of the whiling dervish    I am transported to 13th century Arabia 

today I revived my two week old indigo vat    it's not often in that this 

can be done 'outside' without the aid of a heater of some kind

another indigo workshop this weekend - forecast hot and humid, perfect

now to water the garden and harvest a handful of beans

something nice to look at

which is more than I can say for most

of this week

the washing machine has broken down

it was going to be fixed tomorrow

the man has a cold, delayed til Monday

a trip to the laundrette is needed to deal with 

the large pile of washing that has accumulated

over the week   Nic and the Paper Cinema have

landed after a successful three week run at

Battersea Arts Centre - see side bar - even

more washing and finding space for 

Paper Cinema paraphernalia

group project on hold see above

managed to dyed thread - which was good

too cold this week for the hopeful indigo vat

on the other hand, my man took me out

to the cinema to see The Most Exotic Marigold

Hotel - set in Rajasthan with a stellar cast

brilliant  celebrated with a bar of chocolate

we stayed in the haveli a couple of years 

ago, two days after they finished filming

amazed at the transformation

should you go along to see the file you might

like to take a peep at Keith's website and

check out his photo's of Rajasthan and

Ravla, Khempur - the Most Exotic etc.

time for a glass of red

Work in Progress

New Year - New Look. It's just about three years since I set

up this blog to record my travels in India.  My, I have been 

on a very big learning curve.  About time it had a make over.

I've grappled with adding 'pages'.   Spent most of the

morning trying to understand Blogger instructions.  The

answer was lunch, and to return to the task.  It works!

You will notice I have added "Shop".   I hope to get this

together within a week or two.   Just a few more hoops

and technicalities to jump through.

Meanwhile, here is a quilt that was given to me on

my last trip.  It's delightful, and makes me smile.

All those busy little people.   No explanation given,

but I am pretty sure it is not Indian.  I think it comes

from South America.  Any thoughts?

the little girls have hair made from wool and

woven plaits.  They don't look very happy!

A few more textiles

From Khishna's Antique Gallery, Jaisalmer. 

details of old applique pieces

detail - rumal 

Emboidered yolk - Afghan dress

detail of pocket - mirror work

and beading

A rather fine shelving unit 

Trying again

Little tasters!  Having difficulties

with more that two pictures.

This is a just gorgeous Rabari

shepherd.  His turban is so intricately

tied it looks like basket work.  Note

serious gold bling around his neck,

and rather fetching dhotis.

Details of the embroidery.

Applying myself

This week I have set aside to sorting out my workshop files and samples ready for a  busy summer.  There's a new one on the list, Indian Applique.


Some applique pieces gathered on my travels

No careful cutting cutting using a template with seam allowance.  Indian applique is more cut, fold, and stitch.  The centre panel above is quite simple, more complicated are the squares folded and cut as we would paper squares for snowflakes.

A chakla (square hanging) - appliqued mirrorwork squares, appliqued trees (of life?), applique borders.

A detail - open chain stitch around the borders of mirror work squares.  The tree looks like it has been worked from a synthetic satin, which must have been a beast to stitch.  The body of the tree is also embroidered.

Rabari dowery bag - a combination of stitched and applied motifs, with snazzy felt pom poms.

A detail - the top and bottom borders are applied, the side borders are stitched.  The size of the applique outline is approximately .05cm.   Astonishing.  

situation almost normal

November was not the best of months. We got off to a good start,

but then it all went down hill. Keith's operation was a success,

he's still recuperating - doing well. Shed loads of rain and grey

days, broken up with various new duties. Not a lot achieved.

So, December. Deadlines looming, not even thinking about

the festive season. Fabric, dyes print paste ready to go.

To get me on the roll again, I start the week giving a talk

and slide show of my Indian Journey in February. A local

quilting group, and it's their Christmas party. I can feel

several mince pies coming on.

A little show for you of a gorgeous Rabari Bag. Indigo

linen, typical Rabari stitching. I just love the huge

triangle and diamond shaped mirrors.

It's still gray and raining. Must pack up my 'show' carefully to avoid

a soaking. We can at least close the curtains and escape to the

heat and dust for a while