I tackled the borders for the yellow dhoti today. Sectioned off the raw edge with Scotch tape as before for the black area. Measured the grid edge so that I could begin using the "block" and stamp the initial decorative section and actually got it done too.
The block I carved from a 14" length of polystyrene, consisting of a very simple stripe and a slightly more involved broader band pierced with "pearls" - a term used in Indian terminology for circular shapes. The stamping went fairly smoothly as a process and I had a great deal of success butting up the joins. Outlining the areas to cut-out in green wasn't a clever idea - it dissolves when the fabric paint is applied. However the end result was eerily "period".
I did choose to let it dry, set with the steam iron and then hand paint another layer over the base stamp to intensify the colour and even-out the layer of paint. Tomorrow I add the triangular points along the one edge, I get fourteen to the width of the fabric and cut the stencil so that I can outline the stamped triangles with gutta. With luck I'll be able to get that dry and set and perhaps the first layer of black down to finish that area. I also intend to pop in the black "pearls" and lay more tape down to edge one border with a black stripe.
So far the project is looking promising.
OK it's not an Hermes scarf by any stretch of the imagination! The edges are rough, the paint can be uneven and I've retained a fair bit of that unevenness too, just because those details are what was prevalent with the mordant-resist process found dating from the 13thC in Indian textiles. Even the slight smears of green echo tiny defects seen on close inspection of the extent pieces.
It is exciting.
Why, yes. Yes I also did some embroidery on the patka pallu as well. The skeleton structure for the second large wheel motif is almost done and I shall soon be filling it in.
The block I carved from a 14" length of polystyrene, consisting of a very simple stripe and a slightly more involved broader band pierced with "pearls" - a term used in Indian terminology for circular shapes. The stamping went fairly smoothly as a process and I had a great deal of success butting up the joins. Outlining the areas to cut-out in green wasn't a clever idea - it dissolves when the fabric paint is applied. However the end result was eerily "period".
I did choose to let it dry, set with the steam iron and then hand paint another layer over the base stamp to intensify the colour and even-out the layer of paint. Tomorrow I add the triangular points along the one edge, I get fourteen to the width of the fabric and cut the stencil so that I can outline the stamped triangles with gutta. With luck I'll be able to get that dry and set and perhaps the first layer of black down to finish that area. I also intend to pop in the black "pearls" and lay more tape down to edge one border with a black stripe.
So far the project is looking promising.
OK it's not an Hermes scarf by any stretch of the imagination! The edges are rough, the paint can be uneven and I've retained a fair bit of that unevenness too, just because those details are what was prevalent with the mordant-resist process found dating from the 13thC in Indian textiles. Even the slight smears of green echo tiny defects seen on close inspection of the extent pieces.
It is exciting.
Why, yes. Yes I also did some embroidery on the patka pallu as well. The skeleton structure for the second large wheel motif is almost done and I shall soon be filling it in.
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