says, The Sari...

My life is around you, to be you and find you

in finding is some losing, creating the ever changing forms some are new and some old, but  they always stay affirm

i am the blush on your face
and the extra color to your skin

i also become a darkest corner in the farthest end

and the face at one end
to hide some and show some is my playful nature
but to bring out the best is my only wish
because I am you and you are me
for this is my life

without you I am just a piece of fabric..... says The Sari.

Art

I have often heard this word at one time or the other by different people. The three letter word, as short it may seem has the vastness of a creator's mind. In most basic definition,  Art is an illustrated method of sharing thoughts. The thoughts, here means the same as emotions, ideas and feelings. It is the outcome of the most overwhelming thought of a person.

Art is a creation. But why do we create things... The obvious answer would be... Need. The absence of something creates the need to build or design something useful. The need is to make the survival easy. But we, human beings are also born with a basic aesthetic sense. And hence the urges for creating something of value becomes a basic need and making it aesthetically pleasing a psychological need. It is nowhere stated or observed that aesthetism is a need to survive, still civilizations have build their existence by this very sense of creating something unique, distinguishable and individualistic. Ajanta and Ellora caves of Aurangabad  are probably the best example to say that people feel a need to mark their existence. This is what makes humans different from animal. The idea of life after death probably has the same connotation. You exist even after your death in your creations. For instance Ajanta cave paintings, Ashoka pillar, Pyramids of Egypt and the epitome of love The Taj Mahal.  Thus we can comprehend that Art supports a civilization. It helps define the structure of a group, helps building relations within and outside society. It defines the social being.

Art is in everyone. Art exists in the world renowned music album of A. R. Rehamn and M.F. Hussain's painting. These people excel in their field and are more popularly known as artists. But to say that others are not artists would be unjust to them. I personally believe that 'creation' is an art. Whether it is a small hut drawn by a twelve year old in his/her drawing class or an architecture building a landscape. That small child finds satisfying joy in that drawing as does that architecture when the landscape is complete. This art sense brings people together to a common platform.

TRITIK: The unsung art of Tie-Dye

Greetings,

In continuation to my earlier post...

My post on tie-dye has to continue with another interesting add-on to the same. Don't yet be tired of the earlier post because I have something more interesting to share.

Tie-Dye can be done in multiple ways. But there is one special technique I would like to mention... that is: TRITIK. People know about Bandhej/ Bandhani/ Tie-dye/ Leheria. (I am sorry I forgot to mention in my overwhelming love for the craft, that it is a very popular technique of Rajasthan and Gujarat of Western India). These techniques use 'thread' to resist the fabric at particular intervals.  And the outcome are small diamond dots. So you need to place several small diamonds together to create a motif/pattern. And also the newer versions of commercial Tie-Dye products are crude. The ties are coarser as compared to the earlier versions of the technique. By the way this reminds me, have you visited Crafts Museum, New Delhi as I mentioned in my previous post? Well, you will see the difference in the fineness. I will shut my self here, because I may write pages on details and technique and motifs but I would like you to explore it yourself and be mesmerized.

Well enough about it, this post is only and only for 'Tritik' technique of tie-dye.  So here we go...

In this unusual technique, small stitches create a resisted pattern. The unusual thing is not just the use of running stitch but the fact that any shape or pattern that you may think of can be produced on fabric. 

Thread tie-ing limits the variation and stylization, but tritik beholds unlimited scope of experimentation. It creates very delicate patterns of resist. But hardly is there any product that you can see in the market.  Most of the people are not even aware about its existence. Few days back my mother was thinking of buying a sari, suddenly I got a classic idea of creating a sari by the same tritik technique. Nothing complex but simple straight basting over the entire yardage. Well seems wuiet busy but its a very painstaking process, and therefore I have not even started yet. By god's grace if I happen to 'start and complete' that project in the near future I will post the photographs.

Here is a nugget of  information on how Tritik is done:

 The thickness and number of threads that you are stitching will determine the strength of the resist. As you start, tie a knot on the thread, and puncture the needle through the fabric. On the desired outline start basting, don't break the thread in between but when the thread ends tie a big knot. Continue with a new thread if your work is not finished yet. When the entire pattern is basted pull the knot from one side so the fabric gathers together. These folds will now create a resist. Now all you need to do is dye the fabric in your choice of colour. The outcome is a wave like pattern. 

Figure shows how to bast/stitch on the outline of the pattern.

Once the stitch/basting is complete tie the knot as shown in the figure and then pull the thread to create folds.

A Spiral created by tritik technique. Pull the thread in the end and dye the fabric.

Hope you found it as interesting as it was for me when I first heard about it.

Till Then...

Tie-Dye or Bandhani, as we call it...

I am sure the title explains it all.... but does it really??? (For those who dont know about tie -dye : It is technique of tie-ing some portion of fabric in a design pattern; resisting that part with threads and then dyeing the fabric in a colour. the resisted part remains white and the rest of the fabric takes colour. the white part can further be dyed by removing the threads and dyeing the fabric again in a darker color). But how and where to resist the fabric? That is a bigger question. There has to be a defined pattern in your mind and/or properly placed on a paper before tie-ing the particular fabric areas. So its a beautiful co-existence of uncolored part with the color flushed un-resisted fabric.

When I learnt to do tie-dye I thought I knew it.. and the first reaction was Ohh thats very easy and interesting way of creating patterns. Though naive at that time I hardly understood the beauty of this art. Its a painstaking, back screwing and eyes straining process of many hours. It requires patience, sincerity and a lot passion to create even a small handkerchief. Its very disheartening that back few days some known designers declared that tie and dye is fashion faux pas... and the worst in the fashion history. Excuse Me dearies I am sure they must be having some valid point for their such statement but do they really know tie-dye.. is it really that simple? Yea you might think u just have to tie some specific areas to create a design and then dye fabric... Its that SIMPLE!!!. It is a simple technique but the process is way complex. Without a specific thing in mind you might be creating weird and strange patterns. You cannot just start tie- ing or resisting the fabric without planning the outcome. But once the idea is clear one can come out with extraordinary designs.. but for that you need to have a very good sense of colors and designs yeah they will come alright even by an amateur. The beauty lies in the color and of course design is important too. On one of my trip to Jaipur, I met a craftsman, he told me the most practical yet overlooked aspect of dyeing/printing which over enthusiast and non technical designers miss while designing their clothes. That is color mixing!!!. You cannot expect a red color to emerge out of nowhere when the fabric has been already dyed out in black. And not all the color possibilities are practically do- able. So the 'designers to be' keep your thinking hat on while making some color ways.

Visit Crafts Museum, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi to appreciate the real master pieces of life time. And if possible try once, may be a small handkerchief in Tie-Dye.

In the next blog, I will talk about an interesting yet unpopular Tie-Dye technique... TRITIK.

Till Then....

Losing the heritage.

While writing my essay on Indian handlooms in 21st century, I am in a deep thought process of what actually I can do about for the languishing sector of Indian handicrafts. The ever increasing competition of handcrafted, handmade art with a cheap imitation on machines has put the industry into a deep dark cave. And somewhere the artisans have lost their way back to the light. The declined patronage of crafts have cause the craftsperson to shift from their hereditary work to wage labourers in the towns. There is such a mess of political, social and ethical issue with our handloom sector that solving one issue may complicate the other one. But now after thinking I have decided that I will only buy Indian cloth. That is the least I can do for my self and to satisfy my much bleeding heart on present situation, our weavers are in.

Passion is the key.

I am a student of textiles. Talking about fabrics is not only my passion but my life. Studying the Indian textiles since five years now have totally changed my perspective towards them. It wouldn't be justified if I don't mention the contribution of my teachers in making me so sensitive towards not otherwise so important clothes that we wear. People do like to get dressed but for most of them its just a basic necessity of humility and modesty. There are very few who actually can associate with what they are wearing and    hence appreciate them. Sadly the only associations are the price tags and brands. I have got so habitual of appreciating the fabrics that while travelling to places I get engrossed into observing clothes of people around me. Sometimes my friends make fun of me for being so obssessive about fabrics. But this is my pure excitement to share my knowledge and to celebrate the joy of being able to associate with the fabric.

Recently I discovered my love to write so here I am starting my blog just to create my own reflections and ideas. My only intention of writing this blog is my passion for understanding fabric and love for beautiful Indian textiles. 

With my masters getting over soon, my association and deep love with the subject is increasing. I love to read about art and history associated with it. It feels like that I have travelled to same era when the skills were at their best and ever handmade art was appreciated.