Welcome plates

When a very very special guest has to come to your place in India you wait at the entrance with a decorated plate containing flower petals, sweets and forehead marking stuff like rice grins, turmeric powder, sandal powder or vermilion. The plate shown here are spray painted in golden or silver colour. In the golden plate disposable spoons and glitter powder has been used for a enriched look.
Whereas in the silver plate white beads, stones and silver flower has been used for bejewelled look.

Stuffed toys

Soft non fraying fabrics are cut and sewn in desired shapes and are now a days stuffed with poly-wool filling which is light weight, easy to wash and dry. Attached parts must be fully secure.

Hand painted Jute bags

Rectangular jute bags for carrying office lunch box in India are stitched from plain burlap. Design is drawn with pencil and acrylic colours are filled using suitable brushes.

   

Papier-mache'

Papier- mache' is a traditional craft in India. Old news paper is soaked for a week or two with Multani Mitti or clay and is then beaten or ground to a pulp. The pulp is coated on the desired mould surface. The surface is smoothened with a dip of  clay solution. After drying the surface is rubbed with sand paper. design is drawn and desired paints are applied. May be water colours, poster colours, acrylic paints or oil paints. Last step is to apply varnish coats and dry. Shown here are a plate with small lamps; and a Kalash or auspicious small pitcher. Laces have been attached for a decorative look.

Worship plate

Richly decorated plates are used for containing ingredients used for worship. Red colour base is given by pasting paper or fabric of good quality. Silver laces, golden laces, beaded strings, stones, etc are used for embellishment. Tiny bowls are used for containing turmeric powder, vermillion or sandal powder. The plates are preserved for special occasions.

     

Knitting yarn floormats

Knitting yarn pompoms have been stitched on a sturdy base. It gives a very colourful and soft result. These may be used on your bedside.

  

Fabric painting

For hand painting on fabrics special colours or paints are available in the market. Trace the design as told in the earlier post. Place a news paper under the fabric layer to be painted or mount the fabric on an embroidery hoop. Apply colour using suitable brushes such that not much colour passes to the back side and it may not cross the boundries of the drawn design. After completion allow to dry up for 24 hours. then iron from the back side to fix the colours. Also check the instructions given on the paint bottle.
The upper article is a pillow case painted by Miss Rimika Biswas and the lower one is a women's shirt piece painted by Miss Amandeep Kaur.

Embroidered pillow cases

Pillow cases of desired size and shape may be stitched at home and embroidered as per one's own taste. Light plain background is more friendly for tracing of design. First draw the design with pencil on a white paper. When it is perfectly ready then transfer it on to the fabric of pillow case using a carbon paper. Ink side of the carbon paper should face and touch the fabric surface. Place the paper design on the carbon paper on a suitable and desired location. Fix with two alpins and draw with a ball pen on every line of the design. Placement is one's own choice. it may be central, corners, borders, etc. After design transfer embroider using threads and colours of choice. Start with washed hands every time you pick it.

Mural craft

A raised effect can be created on a wooden board using a kind of clay for example shilpkar or 'mould it' or 'm-seal'. Mix the two components of the package and make the dough. Make a drawing on the base board using  a simple writing pencil. Mould the clay in required shape and thickness and stick to the board using a suitable adhesive paste. After completion of coverage of the drawn scene or figures, allow it to dry and harden. Then paint in desired hues using acrylic paints. We have used light golden and copper metakkic paints on a black ground. make an arragement of fixing it on to a nail on the desired wall.

 

Macrame

Macrame is a technique of producing textile products using knotting method. Different kinds of cords may be used for this purpose. An old globe and an old lampshade frames have been used as base structure for the ceiling hangings or jhoomar . The base has been cleaned and painted to preserve it for a longer time. use knots as per your liking and thread beads where ever liked. Cut and fuse the ends of cords using a candle flame.

Introduction

The present blog introduces the crafts learnt by students of B.Sc. Home Science degree. With God's grace.