Toran -sacred doorway hanging

 

I undoubtedly owe my love of embroidery and fabrics to my Indian background. As long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the variety inventiveness, the richness of texture and colour of Indian textiles of all kinds. I especially like embroidery of Gujarat place where I was born. The embroidery of Kutch flourished in the late

19^th and early 20^th centuries. The Sindh and Kutch embroidery are similar to the interlace stitch of Spain and Germany. Some other native stitches and the use of mirrors gives it a totally different appearance. In Indian embroidery the richest in design, stitches and usage of bright colour combination is of Gujarat & Rajasthan. As a small child I would watch my mother embroidering on different  fabrics. she have embroidered many bedsheets,toran,cushions,quilts and many dresses .i used to sit next to her  and watch her carefully,how she works. It seemed pure magic!to me . I was so anxious to grow up and do what she did. I would proudly  say that  she is  my inspiration  .she always says that it is important to retain some  aspect of our heritage before they are forgotten. for her embroidery is way of keeping tradition and i believe in it  too. Few techniques,stitches ( geometric repeated stitch ) which she learnt from my grand mother  she wanted me to learn it  as well. 

The project "WALK IN MY SHOES" is about  my memories which I have collected through my journey .so creating a toran fits in best. I aim to include some traditional embroidery motifs from both culture I have learnt from my mother but i have also looked artist like Munni Srivastava's work.

Selecting suitable fabric to create toran. My fabric of choice was red velvet therefore I bought some red velvet to start my work .red velvet didn't work because after cutting it it started loosing its pile(structure and shape).than I bought white pure cotton material which didn't work either because it was to light .Finally I bought red linen material it took me long cutting its edges in scallop shape even after cutting it started frilling over come this problem I had to over-lock its edges using machine.

These are two torans  which i show at New Walk Art Gallery In Leicester during my visit.

 

Selecting suitable fabric to create toran. My fabric of choice was red velvet therefore I bought some red velvet to start my work .red velvet didn't work because after cutting it it started loosing its pile(structure and shape).Then I bought white pure cotton material which didn't work either because it was to light .Finally I bought red linen material it took me long cutting its edges in scallop shape even after cutting it started friling .Over come this problem I had to over-lock its edges using over-locking machine.

I have photographed my little cousin in two different  costumes,one in western dress other in typical indian dress with flute in her hand .Many torans  shows religious figures like lord Krishna and Ganesha.lord krishna is usually found with flute .Urvi my cousin would represent me in this project.

I have printed  the photograph on white fabric and then stitched over toran .i have used blanket stitch with golden metallic thread.these doesn't seem to work as background is too bright so  i had to take it off and think of something else .

 Selecting Embroidery Motifs 

To find good selection of motif i looked many books and visited many places. many of these are based on traditional Indian designs.most of the Indian embroidery  motifs are from my mother's embroidery work which she did over the years.this one with two parrots and flower was on one of the wall hangings, which is  among   her recent work.

i have used white liquid chalk marker to draw and then used different stitches like running stitch,chain stitch,stem stitch and rabari tanka-(is popular Indian stitch extensively to fill in the shapes).

 Mirror Work

I have been always  fascinated by mirror work .Mirror work has now become a part of the ethnic chic fashion world.where small mirror discs are fixed with closely worked silken thread.i have usually seen that mirror work is done on bright background . Chain stitch and stem stitch surrounding  the large mirror .i have also used green beads in between daisy stitch.

  

This particular design of two peacocks is one of my favorite.I found this among my mothers old embroidery work.i have used running stitch,stem stitch.Rabari tanka and mirror work using very small round mirrors.Further down the embroidery motif of two elephants is from bed-sheet.I have used thin white wool to do chain stitch . On top I have embroidered "WALK IN MY SHOES" using chain stitch and I also used green beads.on top left side "WELCOME" is embroidered and on top right side  "SWAGATAM"which means welcome.

 

This is traditional British design.It is printed cretonne fabric wall hanging,depicting a bird of paradise in a pomegranate tree 1872 house,Lincolnshire .

 Beads,chain stitch,stem stitch,buttonhole stitch,daisy stitch and running stitch are more frequently used in this embroidery motif.

I found this particular design in  book called pattern and design by Sian Evans.Detail on a Pietra dura cabinet part of the Florentine cabinet.1620.charlecote park,Warwickshire.

Painting door frame white and putting  Toran up.I am pleased with the work I think it has worked well.