The choice of curtains also impacts energy efficiency, as appropriate window coverings can reduce the need for heating or cooling. Beyond functionality, changing curtains with the seasons allows for a dynamic and visually pleasing home environment, aligning with the natural light levels and contributing to the overall comfort and ambiance of the space. Additionally, it provides protection for curtains against the potential damage caused by harsh weather conditions, ensuring their longevity and performance.
Standard lengths for readymade curtains vary depending on the intended use and style of the curtains. Some common lengths for readymade curtains include 63 inches, 84 inches, 95 inches, 108 inches, and 120 inches. These lengths are suitable for a variety of window sizes, but it's always a good idea to measure your windows before purchasing curtains to ensure the best fit.
Café curtains, also known as tier curtains or half curtains, are a type of window treatment that covers only the lower half of a window. They are typically hung on a rod or pole that is installed just above the window and are used to provide privacy and light control without blocking the entire window.
Café curtains are different from standard curtains, which are typically longer and cover the entire window from top to bottom. Standard curtains are often used for decorative purposes and to block out light completely, while café curtains are more functional and are often used in kitchens and bathrooms.
Sheer curtains are lightweight curtains made of sheer, transparent fabric and are often used to add a touch of elegance and privacy to a room without blocking out natural light.
Blackout curtains are designed to block out all light and are often used in bedrooms or media rooms to create a dark, restful environment. Usually, shops offer a few options available in blackout fabric such as 100% blackout that filters 100% light, 90% filters, as the name suggets 90% light.
Then there are thermal curtains, while blackout curtains are heavier and block out most or all light. Thermal curtains are designed to help insulate a room, keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Other types of curtains include grommet curtains, pinch pleat curtains, and rod pocket curtains.
At DesiCrafts, we make standard sizes curtains in various lengths and options such as sheer, blackout, with privacy lining or without lining. If you are on a lookout for custom sized curtains in our hand block printed fabrics, you landed up at the right place. You can contact us to consult about a custom order.
]]>The Pantone Color of the Year for 2024
It's "Peach Fuzz", People! This color choice represents a shift towards warmth, comfort, and positivity. Peach Fuzz is a soft, nurturing hue that evokes a sense of calm and reassurance in an ever-changing world. It's expected to influence various design industries, from fashion and beauty to home decor, reflecting a collective yearning for soothing and uplifting environments. This color symbolizes a hopeful outlook, blending the playful lightness of peach tones with a gentle, fuzzy texture, embodying both physical and emotional comfort.
Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year for 2024
Is "Blue Nova." This color is a vibrant and captivating shade that brings a sense of modernity and freshness. Blue Nova is versatile, fitting into various design contexts, from contemporary to classic. Its selection as the Color of the Year reflects a trend towards bold, statement-making choices in design, symbolizing innovation, depth, and clarity. This striking blue hue is expected to influence interior design, architecture, and fashion, inspiring creativity and new perspectives in the world of aesthetics.
Behr's Color of the Year for 2024
Is "Cracked Pepper." This color selection signifies a move towards embracing bold and grounding shades. Cracked Pepper is a deep, almost black hue that speaks to sophistication and strength. It's a versatile color that can bring dramatic flair to interior spaces or serve as a strong foundational tone for various design schemes. This choice reflects a trend in design where comfort is combined with striking visual statements, symbolizing stability and resilience.
Sherwin-Williams
Announced "Upward," a hue that reflects a sense of serenity and optimism as color of the year 2024. This color is a soft, airy blue that embodies tranquility and a hopeful outlook, making it a versatile choice for various design applications. It's expected to be popular in interior design, providing a calming backdrop that can be easily complemented with a range of accent colors. Upward represents a trend towards colors that offer a sense of peace and mental well-being in our living and working spaces.
Glidden
Announced "Limitless" the color of the year 2024. This color choice symbolizes endless possibilities and a forward-thinking mindset. "Limitless" is likely a shade that embodies innovation and adaptability, fitting into a variety of design aesthetics. It reflects a contemporary trend in interior and exterior design, encouraging creativity and a break from traditional boundaries. The selection of such a name suggests a focus on inspiration and the breaking of conventional norms in color usage.
Thomas Hill's C2 Paint
Declared "Thermal" as color of the year for 2024. This color likely represents warmth and comfort, aligning with a trend towards nurturing and inviting hues in design spaces. "Thermal" suggests a cozy, welcoming atmosphere, potentially making it a popular choice for creating intimate and soothing environments in homes and public spaces. This color choice reflects a desire for spaces that offer a sense of security and relaxation.
Valspar
Has announced "Renew Blue" as color of the year for 2024. This color is indicative of rejuvenation and serenity, aligning with a trend towards refreshing and calming hues in design. Renew Blue likely represents a sense of renewal and clarity, making it a fitting choice for spaces where tranquility and a clear mind are desired. It's a color that can bring a breath of fresh air into various settings, from home interiors to workplaces.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Has selected "Persimmon" as their Color of the Year for 2024. This color choice likely symbolizes warmth, energy, and a vibrant spirit. Persimmon, with its rich, reddish-orange hue, is reminiscent of the fruit it's named after and brings a bold, inviting presence to any space. This selection reflects a trend towards colors that add a lively, optimistic energy to our living environments, perfect for creating focal points in home decor or adding a touch of playfulness to modern design schemes.
Dutch Boy Paints
Has announced "Ironside" as their Color of the Year for 2024. This color likely embodies strength and resilience, with a tone that suggests reliability and a solid foundation. Ironside is a color that can be expected to bring a sense of stability and groundedness to spaces, making it suitable for a variety of design aesthetics, from modern to traditional. It's a choice that reflects a trend towards colors that offer a sense of security and timelessness in our environments.
Minwax
Has chosen "Bay Blue" as their Color of the Year for 2024. This selection suggests a focus on tranquility and depth, as Bay Blue is likely a serene, deep blue hue that evokes feelings of calmness and contemplation. It's a color that can bring a sense of peacefulness and depth to wooden surfaces, enhancing the natural beauty of the wood while adding a contemporary touch to furniture and interior design.
Graham & Brown
Color of the Year for 2024 is "Viridis" This color choice likely reflects a connection to nature and a sense of rejuvenation. "Viridis" typically refers to a green shade, suggesting a refreshing and natural feel. This selection aligns with a trend towards embracing natural elements and colors that promote a sense of wellness and environmental awareness in design choices.
York Wallcoverings
Has selected "Bay Brown" as their Color of the Year for 2024. This choice suggests a trend towards earthy, rich tones in wallcoverings. Bay Brown likely embodies a sense of warmth, stability, and grounding, reminiscent of the natural environment. It's a versatile color that can create a cozy, inviting atmosphere in any space, aligning well with current trends in interior design that emphasize comfort and a connection to nature.
James Hardie
Color of the Year for 2024 is "Mountain Sage." This color is likely inspired by natural landscapes, suggesting a sense of tranquility and organic beauty. Mountain Sage probably embodies a harmonious blend of green and gray tones, offering a subtle yet impactful presence in exterior design. It aligns with trends that favor colors connecting the built environment to the natural world, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of homes and buildings with a calming, earthy hue.
]]>Grey cloth, also known as greige cloth, is a type of fabric that has not been bleached or dyed. Learn why is it important to process the cloth before printing.
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Processing the grey cloth also helps to even out the surface of the fabric, making it smoother and more uniform. This can improve the overall appearance of the final print and help to prevent any imperfections or inconsistencies.
Pre-processig can also improve the absorbency of the fabric, allowing the printing ink or dye to penetrate more evenly and produce a more vibrant and consistent color.
Overall, processing grey cloth before printing is important because it helps to prepare the fabric for printing, ensuring that the final print will be of the highest quality possible. By taking the time to properly prepare the grey cloth, you can help to ensure that your prints will be clean, crisp, and vibrant.
Are you one of those hobby crafters who love to dye their own fabric and make beautiful things out of it? This blog post is for you. Hand-dyeing cotton fabric is a captivating and creative process that transforms plain, unadorned material into a personalized masterpiece. The artistry of hand-dyeing lies in the hands of the creator, as they carefully manipulate colors to bring their vision to life on the canvas of cotton.
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Wash the fabric to remove any dirt, oils, or other contaminants that could interfere with the dye or printing process.
Use a mild detergent and lukewarm water, and avoid using bleach or other harsh chemicals.
Rinse the fabric thoroughly to remove any soap or detergent residue, and then squeeze out any excess water.
If necessary, pre-shrink the fabric by washing and drying it on high heat. This will help to prevent the fabric from shrinking or warping after it has been dyed or printed.
Prepare the fabric for dyeing or printing by soaking it in a water and vinegar solution for at least 30 minutes. This will help to open the fibres and allow the dye or printing ink to penetrate more easily.
Rinse the fabric again to remove any excess vinegar, and then squeeze out any excess water before beginning the dyeing or printing process.
By following these pre-treatment steps, you can help to ensure that your cotton fabric will accept the dye or printing ink evenly and produce the best possible results. It's important to take the time to properly prepare the fabric before starting the dyeing or printing process, as this can make a big difference in the final outcome.
Picture credits: pexel.com by artists Adrien Olichon and Teona Swift.
]]>Atlas or fagara: a brightly colored satin-weave fabric with a silk face and a cotton back. This silk, which comes from the Attacus atlas moth, originated in India and was first exported to Europe in the eighteenth century.
Bengaline: a shiny, lustrous cloth with raised cords created by heavier weft threads. The fabric is believed to have originated in Bengal, India.
Bolting cloth: a sheer, plain-weave “working cloth” used by millers to sift flour and later as a foundation for wigs.
Broadcloth: a solid-colored or striped cloth made with many fine warp threads and fewer medium-weight weft threads, woven on a loom that was wider than standard looms of the time.
Brocade: a heavy fabric woven with supplementary weft threads that create flowing designs. Brocade variants include baldachin (a thicker fabric), broché (French for “stitched”), brocantine (the design more raised than in ordinary brocade), and brocatelle (a doubleweave).
Corah or cora: a lightweight fabric created in India from an unwashed natural raw silk fiber.
Damask: a reversible fabric originating in Damascus, Syria, that is similar to a brocade but flatter in texture. It is said that Marco Polo (1254–1324) brought this fabric to the West.
Grosgrain: a fabric or ribbon with a horizontal raised cord produced by heavier weft threads.
Habutai: a lightweight Japanese silk that takes up dyes readily. It is used not only for clothing and household textiles but also for kites and airplane wings.
Ikat: a fabric in which the weft, warp, or both threads have been tie-dyed before weaving; also, the technique for coloring the threads.
Mousseline de soie (French for “silk muslin”): a crisp, sheer, lightweight, plain-woven fabric that is similar to chiffon but with a more open weave; it is stiffened with sizing or a chemical agent.
Muslin: a lightweight fabric originally made in Mosul, Iraq, from silk or cotton but now made almost exclusively from cotton.
Noil: a soft fabric created from waste fibers and having a slightly nubby texture.
Organza: a crisp yet sheer fabric, stiffer than chiffon, woven from fine, tightly twisted raw silk threads.
Satin: a thick, soft, smooth fabric with a shiny face and dull back. The warp threads are set so densely that they completely cover the weft threads.
Shantung: a crisp fabric originating in the Chinese province of Shantung with unevenly slub weft threads and excellent drape.
Taffeta: a smooth, crisp, plainwoven cloth with a lustrous finish. The term “taffeta” is derived from the Persian word tafta (glossy twist).
Tussah: a fabric made from filaments from the cocoons of wild silk moths and having a distinctive natural tan, brown, or ecru color. Used widely in India and China, it is stiff and durable and has a coarser hand than that of other silk fabrics. On its introduction to Europe in the seventeenth century, merchants thought that it was made from a plant and so referred to it as “herba.”
Velvet: a thick, soft, textured fabric made by cutting the warp threads in the woven goods to produce pile. The denser the threads, the higher the quality of the fabric. Originally, the warp was of silk and the weft, of cotton.
Thank you for reading! We'll keep updating this list. CIAO :-)
]]>So, you're a fashion designer in need of fabric to make something?
Knowing what you want and what you don't could be a right path to take when deciding on fabric sourcing.
DesiCrafts brings some basic tips to start your quest for the right fabric to make prototypes before you move on to wholesale purchases.
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Step 1
Make A Short List:
Make a short list of the suppliers. Preferably, local to cut short the delivery time and in case the need arises to visit them in person. If you are ordering from international fabric suppliers, then the location won't matter much. Yet you must ask your suppliers about the processing and delivery time. Also consider the fabric and shipping costs.
Step 2
Order Samples:
After looking at the pictures, short list the fabrics that are suitable for your product. Once you're sure what you want, ask your supplier if they are able to ship sample swatches. Most suppliers offer swatches of the fabrics. But in case swatches aren't available, you can alway buy a yardage or enough to develop the product prototype. It is still better than buying in bulk and later sitting on unused piles of fabric and repenting the loss of money and time.
Step 3
Ask about the availability on re-order:
It is very important that your fabric reseller doesn't run out of the fabric that you developed a prototype with. So, it is important to ask if the fabric will be available for reorder at a later stage (or a few months later). Most sellers and suppliers who don't manufacture their own fabric, they won't be able to offer the same fabric on re-order. This could be a deal breaker when you're looking to order a particular fabric to make a product that is suddenly a hit among your buyers but you can't re-order it anymore.
Step 4
Lead time on handmade fabrics:
Most handmade fabrics that are custom made, require more time to process. For example if you're ordering hand block printed fabrics in your own designs, it may take longer to develop. It is always good to ask your supplier questions such as how much time it is going to take and what are different shipping options available. Also add some extra number of days in case something goes wrong with the production.
Step 5
Other Important things:
Some overlooked facts that may become crucial later, should be asked before you order your fabric. It is important to know care instructions, composition and width of different fabrics you're about to order. It is also important to negotiate on the price and minimum order quantity on Made To Order Fabrics among other important questions that are crucial in developing your product.
We hope this list will make your fabric sourcing easier and better.
Shop DesiCrafts products here | Buy Made To Order Fabrics here.
]]>As you start sewing, there are so many things you want to sew, there are so many things you make, not only for yourself but for friends and dear ones too! What could be a better idea than sewing a clutch purse for your soul sister's birthday gift!
At DesiCrafts, we sat down on a Sunday morning and selected 10 very easy-peasy DIY clutch purse ideas from some blogs which are hidden gems on internet.
You'll get 10 super cool clutch purse ideas and betcha, you'd want to make all of them. So, we bring it on.
]]>At DesiCrafts, we sat down on a Sunday morning and selected 10 very easy-peasy DIY clutch purse ideas from some blogs which are hidden gems on internet.
You'll get 10 super cool clutch purse ideas and betcha, you'd want to make all of them. So, we bring it on.
1. Vitange Clutch Purse Using Old Kutch Fabric
This Indian blogger from Jammu has a lovely clutch purse tutorial to share. The tutorial gives a detailed DIY introduction to the process. There is a clear step by step guide on how to make the full clutch purse with a lovely vintage Kutch embroidery fabric piece.
Detailed tutorial here
4. Zippered Clutch Tutorial
Stef who runs a blog called The Girl Inspired. It is another step-by-step tutorial to make a clutch purse. we loved the supplies and fabric used in this one so much.
The conventional process of hand block printing on textiles and papers, with beautiful natural colors, has been practiced in for around 2000 years although it didn't reach Indian until 15th century. According to Wikipedia the traces of wood block printing (or block printing) were first found in China which go back to 7th century. It remained the most common East Asian technique of printing until the 19th century.
]]>The conventional process of hand block printing on textiles and papers, with beautiful natural colors, has been practiced for around 2000 years although it didn't reach Indian subcontinent until 15th century. According to Wikipedia the traces of wood block printing (or simply, "block printing") were first found in China which go back to the 7th century. It remained the most common East Asian technique of printing until the 19th century.
In present day, most European hand block printing method involves use of wood cut to print patterns on the fabric and paper. These wood cut shapes (made with the help of laser cut machines and computers) are different from the hand carved wooden stamps produced mainly in the 15th century India (as the traces of history suggest).
In India, hand block printing was introduced to the Jaipur region of Rajasthan by the Chhipa community. Chippas are originally located in Bagru Village, an area now famous for its vegetable dye and mud resist ("dabu") block prints. Although there is a lot more to learn about the Chippas of Bagru, let's save that story for another post!
The art of hand block printing is passed down from generation to generation among these families of printers. With the help of fair trade organisations in India and in other countries, the small businesses who take pride in selling handmade products, the kids in these families have received good formal education and they're helping their families to run the textile business more efficiently. Indian and foreign patrons have passionately supported the culture and business around block printing. A big enabler is the Internet and mobile telephony penetration in India.
It must be mentioned that there is a constant churn in the communities as the aspirations of the the artisan families change over time. Many have chosen to pursue more established line of work in modern industries which provide much more stable income. Some have fallen apart in the past due to lack of funds and orders on a constant basis. With the current euphoria around organic cotton fabrics and apparel, things can only go north from here.
A pattern is first hand-drawn or computer/tablet drawn, then printed on a paper after which it is transferred to the tracing paper. A piece of Sheesham (North Indian Rosewood) is painted with white chalk, so when the pattern is traced on the wood piece, it can be seen clearly, which makes the job of a wood carver easier.
Once transferred on the wood piece, the pattern is ready to be carved. The big parts of the wood are carved with the machine while the smaller or more intricate parts are carved with the help of small chisels and other hand tools.
The table for industrial wood block printing is either 6 meters or 10 meters long. 6 meters table is used for sari printing and for other purposes while 10 meters table is used to fabric printing. Standard width of the table is 50". It is because most fabrics in India are 44" to 50" wide.
There are extra wide fabrics (58") too but for printing them, a wider table is required. Some printing units keep that kind of setup ready but it is rarely used because it isn't much in demand. DesiCrafts has facility to print both, standard width and extra wide fabrics.
The table has at least 10 layers of jute fabric, above which there is a layer of a blanket, topping it off with a thick cotton sheet that is usually white in color. The sheet is tightly tucked in from all sides just like a beautifully made bed.
Once the wooden stamps are ready to print, an expert hand block printer (generally called "The Master") mixes the basic colors to obtain the desired complex color for final printing.
The printing tray is a multi-story tray made of wood. It is similar to the wheeled-tray that a hotel room service strolls around to serve breakfast. Block Printing table also has wheels on it for easy movement and carrying it from one side of the long table to the other.
The first tray is to keep the color paste which is spread on a fabric made with marino wool. Marino wool basket weave fabric is the best suited for spreading the color paste on it. The second tray is for keeping the wooden blocks as block printers use multiple blocks in cycles when making a pattern on a fabric.
The third and the lowest tray is used for keeping the rags and brushes to clean the spills etc from time to time.
Depending on the number of colors, more than one block is required for printing. These blocks have names. The outline blocks are called Rekh and the filler blocks are called Dutta.
The fabric which has more filler color and less outlines is called a Gadd print fabric. It requires more color than usual and may be a costlier affair than the standard printing.
First the outlines are printed and then the filling is done. More than one printer works parallelly on the fabric to achieve multi-color printing.
Once the fabric is printed, it is dried in shade. It's not sent for washing until it is completely dry. Once dried, it is sent to the washers, who exclusively engage in post processing of printed fabrics.
The washing is multi-stage process. During which the fabric loses the extra color. Washing makes them softer and ready to use for making garments and other products.
At DesiCrafts, there is a lot of back and forth between our block makers and printers to design and achieve just the right outcome. Sometimes, our tailors would also pitch in on the placement of the patterns. This can be as exhausting as exciting, but in the end, always fulfilling! Sometimes, the results won't come out right and we redo the whole process again until we have the setup to get the desired prints without much ad-hoc interventions needed in the subsequent processes.
Things become even more interesting in the case of fusion patterns. They are a mix of traditional Indian patterns, inspired by western and European prints. Have a look at DesiCrafts Scandinavian wooden stamps here.
DesiCrafts works with Bagru's Chippa printers and wood block carvers to offer you vegetable dyed fabrics such as Indigo and Madder prints. We also work with Sanganeri Printers of Rajasthan to offer more colorful range of fabrics.
Apart from this, we have an attached printing unit where we print the fabrics, sarees, carpets, table runners and cushion covers etc. DesiCrafts also has an on-demand dyeing facility through which we're able to dye the fabrics in different colors as per the client's requirements.
We hope this article helps you in understanding and deciding on how to go about your dream hand-printed fabrics and handmade goods made from them, whether you get it made from us or elsewhere. We'd be glad to respond to any queries or suggestions!
]]>Recently, we visited our printing unit in Chennai. This is the unit where we make our hand block printed fabrics. Our expert hand block printers are very keen on working with new motifs and colors all the time.
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During the process of hand block printing, the blocks become weak and the edges and carving is damaged. This happens gradually, after printing about 100 to 500 meters of fabric, the damage takes place naturally. Such damaged blocks can't be used for printing anymore.
But we thought it'd be such a shame to let go such pretty wooden stamps lying and later thrown away because of these defects! So, we planned to introduce these lovely pieces of wood to you so that you get a slice of beautiful journey called hand block printing.
These wooden stamps are made using best quality wood that is aged for years before taking shape of a wooden block.
As you'd noticed in the pictures, these stamps have an inherently deep black color. We've started procuring such wooden blocks and restoring them to use as decorative pieces.
During the process of hand block printing, a block looses its real self slowly as it is used for printing repeatedly. After printing about 200 to 500 meters fabric, the wooden block is mostly worn-out and no more fabric can be printed with it.
There could be many other reason for block becoming unusable, falling from a height is a major one, which brings apparent cracks on the carving and it becomes unfit for printing.
Some blocks are still pretty but over the time, printing process may have damaged them partially. So, such blocks are kept separately as unfit for printing.
The usual process of making a block includes overnight dipping the block in a fungicide / insecticide oil such as neem oil. Sometimes, wooden block still falls victim to attackers like mites who feed on cellulite.
In this case, it is always wise to destroy the block completely by burning it before it affects other wooden blocks too!
These vintage wooden stamps will be available for purchase through our website soon. Meanwhile, you can figure out what portion of your house you're going to decorate with these beautiful pieces.
If you ask us, we have some cool ideas apart from using them as table top decor piece or a wall piece.
- We recently found a whole pillar made of these used wooden stamps and it looked so awesome.
- You can use them as a stopper for books on your book shelf.
- Make a glass top corner table with these vintage blocks.
- Make a whole living room wall using these blocks.
- Decorate the staircases and entrance, entryway, your home office, studio etc.
Please keep visiting DesiCrafts blog to see what else is possible with these beautiful wooden stamps.
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Let's welcome the new season with new fabrics. Eye popping, peppy colors or solid color fabrics, a collection of dyeable pure linen or a linen blend...now choose what works for your living room. We're introducing a whole new range of speciality fabrics in colors that you just can't ignore.
These fabrics are heavy weight and made of 100% cotton yarn that is woven with bright acrylic yarns and gold jari threads in jacquard weaving. These are the brightest fabrics for pop decor inspiration.
You can buy these beautiful fabrics on DesiCrafts website. Contact us for placing a custom stitching order for cushion covers or beautiful gift items made using these fabrics.
We accept wholesale orders for parties and weddings and will be very happy to work with you on your special project.
]]>DesiCrafts hand block printed linen fabrics are made to order in any pattern and length. These printed fabrics are made using good quality linen that is extra wide, about 58"-60" width. You can use these fabrics for upholstering a chair, stool or a sofa.
Hello again!
We have been busy developing some new patterns and introduced Tree Of Life and Kashmir Flower pattern linen fabrics in Indigo print.
If you're a long time lurker then you must have noticed these fabrics on DesiCrafts. As you know, DesiCrafts has been selling Tree Of Life wooden stamp for many years now and it was high time that we made our own fabric using this pretty stamp.
Here is a picture of the two linen fabrics that we introduced to our collection recently.
Have a closer look, although, the Tree Of Life pattern is hand block printed but it is as seamless as any machine printed fabric.
Here is a picture of curtains made with Kashmir Flower pattern linen fabric. We made this fabric on a custom request (yes, we do lots of custom requests too!).
These printed fabrics are made using good quality linen that is extra wide, about 58"-60" width. You can use these fabrics for upholstering a chair, stool or a sofa. You can make table runners, napkins, kitchen towels and many other things using these linen fabrics.
You can order these fabrics from DesiCrafts by clicking on the links mentioned in this blog post. Or pre-order/custom order in case, you want to change the color or repeat, please contact us through email.
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Holidays have started and if you are still shopping for last minute Christmas decoration, we've got some cool ideas for you.
Get Ceramic Christmas Bells:
Image source: Unsplash
Make Christmas Ornaments with Fabric Scraps:
What would be better than using those small, colourful fabric scraps!
It is time that you start making these cute looking Christmas ornaments to decorate the tree. While the shopping malls and street shops are filled with readymade decoration items, it's time to make your own tree decor.
Tip: don't forget to use the colour rouge in plenty!
Image source: pexel.com
Make Your Own Christmas & New Year Greetings Cards:
Three years back, in this blog post we introduced some beautiful wooden stamps for Christmas.
You can use these wooden stamps to create beautiful greeting cards, thank you notes and gift wraps.
Image source: DesiCrafts
Prepare Some Rustic Gift Wraps and Cards:
Buy some card stock, jute twine, and some card envelopes. Decorate the card stocks with wooden stamps, make your own thank you notes, wrap your gifts with jute twine and dried flowers and foliage to give your gift wrapping project a rustic look.
Here are some very efficient and cool DIY gift wrapping ideas by Operation Overhaul
Image source: Creative Market
Make Kids Look Cute:
You know what to do! Take help from baby's nana and make cute looking caps and onesies, make your baby look super cute, nana's happy, baby's happy!
Make Cookies, Eat'em REPEAT:
Can't have enough of them! Christmas cookies with pinch of cinnamon for humans are like catnip to cats. Make some cute cookies and cakes. Amaze everyone with you baking skills. (Shh...if you don't know how to bake, it's not a bad time to start coz...tis the season).
Paint all Lights Red and Decorate the Entrance:
If you have too many old lights and new ones and the second hand ones from the garage sale, it's time to take them out and paint them shiny red. Remove any rust using the sand paper and paint the heck out of them. Show the world how Christmas ready you are!
Here are some DIY paper ornament by the blog How About Orange.
Make Love in Those Cute Deer Horns [L.O.L]
]]>This year was an eventful one! We achieved many things and discovered some great friends in you. We participated in a handmade market last year in Chennai almost same time as this year and we received so much love from unknown visitors from India and abroad.
]]>We achieved many things and discovered some great friends in you. We participated in a handmade market last year in Chennai almost same time as this year and we received so much love from unknown visitors from India and abroad.
We arrived on amazon.in with our brand name DesiCrafts and started selling our much appreciated OOAK pure silk cushion covers through Amazon Prime and seller fulfilled options.
We also set-up a studio in Chennai briefly and closed it soon and went back to our online only business model.
We accepted so many custom clothing orders through our website and studio this year that surpassed all our past records in terms of sales till now.
We started working with Chennai based block printing artists and started offering custom designs in hand block printed fabrics.
All this wasn't possible without you!
...So here we are offering you a storewide discount on all purchases more that $100 USD. Just our way of telling how thankful we are for your support, love and appreciation.
Here are a couple of terms and conditions to avail of this discount:
- Copy and paste coupon code THANKYOU in discount coupon box and click apply to avail of this discount at the time of checkout.
- Discount is applicable on purchase of cart value $100 USD or more (excluding shipping).
- Offer valid till 30th November 2018.
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Selecting the fabric: The whole thing started with selecting the fabric. You must be aware about our Chindi Initiative when we created cotton cushion covers and bags with waste pieces of fabrics which were basically the leftovers from the previous creations for our clients.
We work with organic cotton and silk fabrics on daily basis. Some of our projects require cutting in certain ways which leaves lots of big enough pieces of silks left after a dress or an accessory is ready. We decided to separate the the bigger pieces which were straight and at least a measured a fat quarter in size.
When the pieces were separated, we ironed them and made them ready for embroidery. Our embroiderer Azeez and Hafiz are two talented artists who are able to make patterns without a motif. And that's exactly what we wanted. We wanted each piece to be OOAK (One Of A Kind).
Working with silk threads, Jari and Dabka wire wasn't easy but our skilled artisans worked on one piece at at time to create this collection.
While doing the hand embroidery, we generously used Pitta Work technique to create these unique pieces.
So we started the work by stitching all the pieces together so that they fit on our 6 feet embroidery frame. It made our work easy because framing a small fat quarter would have been quite time taking and not so useful.
We marked the area on all pieces where ever we wanted the embroidery to appear. Stitching margins were taken care of. We also took many rounds of local wholesale markets to find right kind of glue and hard backing, lining etc.
From selecting the fabrics, procuring the supplies from different local markets, experimenting with supplies to find out the right fit, it's been very fulfilling and rewarding in every sense.
Here is a video of our moroccan pattern clutch purses being ready with Aari embroidery before stitching.
The Process: The process of making these purses is very time taking and requires utmost concentration and creativity. Good quality pure silk fabric is hand embroidered in Aari embroidery motifs, then they are cut into pieces of different measurements. Once cut, different parts are stitched and glued and then they are kept for drying for a couple of days. Once dried completely, parts are assembled together by stitching one piece at a time. So, you get each piece different, unique and handmade.
The purse looks very elegant and well suited for any occasion. Each of DesiCrafts purses are unique and One-Of-A-Kind. They are handmade with utmost care at our workshop in Chennai. Use with a sari or an evening dress, they go well with everything.
You can order custom made silk and cotton purses, pouches, bags and clutches from us. If you are planning a wedding event or a special get together such as baby shower, engagement party, graduation day party or a corporate event where you need to promote your brand through beautiful handmade items, please feel free to contact us to initiate a conversation about the same.
You can buy DesiCrafts handmade silk clutch purses and other types of bags and purses here:
]]>We loved the way Anushka Sharma and Neha Dhupia - Indian Celebrity Brides dressed up on their wedding day.
Bollywood's sweetheart (Virat Kohli's too) Anushka Sharma got married to the Indian Cricket Team captain Virat Kohli in Italy. The couple, who is lovingly referred to as "Virushka" by the internet community, kept the wedding limited to only family and very close friends.
This is what she wore for her Mehandi ceremony. A long kurta top with eyelet embroidery and a matching skirt with gota patti border.
Bride Anushka wore a stunning bridal ensemble which had motifs of parrots and butterflies, was made by the great designer Sabyasachi.
The earrings that Anushka wore on her wedding day however became a topic of gossip in B-Town as it wasn't a custom made piece but off-the-shelf item.
Bollywood beauty Neha Dhupia recently got married. Neha is the perfect mix of Indian and western looks. Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia got married in Punjabi style wedding.
Neha wore a Blush Pink Lahenga Dress at her Anand Karaj ceremony. The wedding dress was designed by Indian designer Anita Dongre.
For her Mehandi ceremony, Neha wore a blue Banarasi Silk Lehenga and Blouse with simple jewellery.
]]>We all struggle all struggle with the choices when we go out for shopping, specially if it is shopping for clothing.
There are so many pretty colors at prices hard to ignore. Then how do we NOT buy?
Well, here are some reasons why one shouldn't:
Custom Made Fits Well:
Off-the-shelf items are made keeping in mind that most sizes fit to all body types. But in reality, when we buy off-the-shelf, we compromise a lot in terms of fitting. But mostly, we are fine with that kind of compromise.
But just in case you aren't someone who'd compromise on the fitting part, then custom made is the way to go.
Many of DesiCrafts clients tell us how they couldn't find their size in the store. Some of them are petite and some plus size while other come under the category of pear shape, apple shape, hourglass etc. And it becomes difficult to find a dress that fits well unless it was made keeping their body type in mind.
Uniqueness:
We all like off the shelf clothing because it has so many positives such as - it saves time as you don't have to meet the seamstress to first give the fabric for making and then to collect it from them or get it delivered.
If it fits and suits you, you buy it immediately. That's a really good reason to go for readymade clothing but not if you are going to a party wearing your fancy red dress and you see that the lady who just entered is wearing the same dress. Oh no!!! That's a party spoiler for you right there.
When you get a custom made clothing, there is this guarantee that despite of the color and fabric being same, no two dresses will look alike. Unless you both have the same seamstress and you didn't discuss the possibility of ordering exactly same dress!
Supporting The Handmade Business:
When you order a custom made dress, you know who is making your clothing. Your decision of buying custom made from small businesses affects many lives. You know where your money is getting spent. Families of the makers depend on the earnings from your purchases.
How To Order Custom Clothing from a Website:
Search for the website that offers custom made clothing, and discuss your order with them. They'll ask you to share your size and style. You may also send some sample pictures of a garment to explain your expectations from the stitcher.
At DesiCrafts, we accept custom made clothing orders for all occasions such as weddings, birthday, engagements, casual dressing etc. We accept orders for custom manufacturing of wedding gifts and favours such as silk gift envelopes, embroidered clutch purses, bridesmaids dresses and custom printed fabric to suit your decoration needs of table linen and the venue.
You can contact us here to discuss your custom order and we'll respond to your query very quickly.
]]>Inlay work in India started long back during Mughal reign.Saharanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh is the most famous place for inlay work.
]]>First a floral pattern is selected and then it is traced onto the wooden using chalk or carbon paper. After this an expert carver is required to carve the wood to create outlines on the pattern.
These outlines deep enough to correctly wedge the brass wire in the carving.Once the wire is ran through the whole outlined carved pattern, it creates fabulous effect of gold over Sheesham wood.
Some times metal sheets are also used to create inlay effect on the wood.
Inlay work requires the following raw material:
- Sheesham or other wood
- Metal sheets of copper, brass or silver
- Polishing wax to give finishing after sanding
A wooden block making requires almost similar efforts such as tracing the pattern on the piece of wood, using chisel and other tools to hand carve the wooden block. Here, no carvers don't use the wires or metal sheets to fill the pattern.
Tools required:
- Cutting machine is used to cut big wooden planks
- Gunia or right angle is used to make the corners correct
- Chimti or forceps are used to make the thin strips of coiled wires straight
- Scissors are used to cut metal sheets into wires
- Sanding stone is used to sand the wood after inlay work before final polishing
- Chisel & hammer are used to carve out the design on the wood
- Scale to measure the motif correctly
Inlay work is used for making beautiful long lasting printing stamps too. The lines on blocks are sharper and they are used for printing fabrics, decorating walls and other surfaces just like wooden stamps.
History:
Inlay work in India started long back during Mughal reign.Saharanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh is the most famous place for inlay work. Tables, chairs, screens with moghul style brass inlay floral patterns are very common in Saharanpur's inlay. The sheesham wood furniture from Saharanpur includes sofa sets as well as 'Jaali' work on screens and dividers.
Saharanpur is also famous for inlay work furniture such as table, sofa sets, chairs, and patio furniture. Inlay work uses Sheesham or rose wood which the most expensive and strong wood among all types of wood used for inlay.
]]>Anushka and Virat's wedding was a big news. The love birds got married in a hush-hush way, in a foreign country. Later, a wedding reception was given to many people, including PM Modi.
]]>Anushka and Virat's wedding was a big news. The love birds got married in a hush-hush way, in a foreign country. Later, a wedding reception was given to many people, including PM Modi.
Anushka's blue suit made headlines and it became an instant hit among women of all age groups. Within few days, copies of this beautiful blue suit started selling in online and offline both places at an affordable price.
This suit with narrow pants has a chand bali woven pattern on it. It is jari weaving in gold that gives the blue a very rich look.
The dupatta of this suit is embroidered in peacock pattern.
Neck of is the kurta is high-neck, very conservatively made, and also in fashion these days.
DesiCrafts has two silk fabrics in same blue that you can use to make a similar dress for you.
To place a custom order with DesiCrafts, you can send your measurements, choice of colors, and special instructions to desicraftshop@gmail.com
And we'll send you a price quote along with time required to make this.
We feel happy when our generous buyers send us pictures of what they bought from us. Here are some pictures of the things that were handmade by our team in Chennai (formerly Madras), India.
]]>Here are some pictures of the things that were handmade by our team in Chennai (formerly Madras), India. And then they travelled to different corners of the world to reach their very deserving owners.
A silk pillow cover by DesiCrafts, sits in a USA home.
Some embellishments became part of a halloween hat.
Bukhara is an ancient city in the central Asian country of Uzbekistan. Bukhara prints are visible in the Islamic architecture, garments and also in day-to-day life.
]]>Bukhara is an ancient city in the central Asian country of Uzbekistan. It was a prominent stop on the Silk Road trade route between the East and the West, and a major medieval center for Islamic theology and culture.
Bukhara prints are visible in the Islamic architecture, garments and also in day-to-day life. Here is how we made one of our Bukhara prints:
This is how we transferred the pattern on to the fabric. We've used 100% pure silk fabric to make this.
Our inspiration comes from a blog post from Elle Decor among many other Pinterest Pictures. But this picture has just the right kind of Mint and Hot Pink that was required for this project.
This is how the pattern looked after making the first draft.
Our hand embroidery artist Azeez working on the fabric with an Aari needle.
Olive and Hot Pink compliment each other so much!
TADA..and it's ready :)
]]>Jacqueline Woodcock is the owner of Comfort and Calm. Situated on the Gold Coast, Australia, Jacqueline's shop is all about handmade. Three Cs as Jacqueline would call them- Ceramics, Cushions, Candles are the core of Jacqueline's handmade business.
]]>Using too much stripes everywhere may become boring and so one should choose combination prints very carefully. If you are planning to use Indigo and White stripes in the living room, try some Indigo dots with the stripes to avoid boredom.
]]>Equal parts of two colors, Indigo & White forming stripes are well suited for a posh living room as well as for a kid's room decor.
If you are looking for a total makeover of the living room, we have some ideas about decorating your living room with stripes like a boss.
Apart from Indigo & White, Teal & Mustard is killing it and breaking all the records of hotness. See these Teal & Mustard Stripes pillow covers teamed up with DesiCrafts solid Teal raw silk pillow cover.
Using too much stripes everywhere may become boring and so one should choose combination prints very carefully. If you are planning to use Indigo and White stripes in the living room, try some Indigo dots with the stripes to avoid boredom.
It's also possible to use only two colors everywhere in the room and yet making it look extremely interesting.
Checkout DesiCrafts Indigo and White mood board with some interesting bits.
Decorate the cane wood sofa with stripes, dots and reverse stripes in same color combination. Use some Indigo pottery from Rajasthan artisans to decorate the chest near the window.
Indigo printed fabric can be used as wall decor if framed nicely. In place of using expensive rug, use cotton canvas durries to cover and decorate the floors.
Shop DesiCrafts Indigo & White collection here.
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Internationally recognised as a lifestyle and fashion photographer, Sebastian Cortés’ most recent series Sidhpur: Time Present Time Past is an in-depth photographic exploration of the Bohra Islamic community in Sidhpur, a little-known small town in Gujarat.
]]>This blog piece first appeared on the website http://fountainink.in
The traditional habitats and domestic spaces of the Dawoodi Bohras.
By Sebastian Cortés, Images courtesy Tasveer
Internationally recognised as a lifestyle and fashion photographer, Sebastian Cortés’ most recent series Sidhpur: Time Present Time Past is an in-depth photographic exploration of the Bohra Islamic community in Sidhpur, a little-known small town in Gujarat. Building on his desire to explore forms of biography, memory and metaphor—this latest exhibition demonstrates Cortés’ continuing interest in documenting and uncovering India’s more enigmatic facets, this time through careful photographic studies of the traditional habitats and domestic spaces of the Dawoodi Bohras, an elusive and veiled Islamic community.
Traditionally a trading community by profession—indeed, the term Bohra derives from the Gujarati term vehru or trade—the Bohras are a people who constantly invented and reinvented their identity in keeping with migratory patterns. Absorbing and negotiating influences around them, their complex cultural makeup is strikingly reflected in their entirely unique architecture that is an amalgamation of Hindu, Islamic, Persian, European and Colonial styles.
Cortés’ approach is to “take time to unveil small narratives”, and continually highlight photography’s ability to capture, expose and visually interpret lingering moods and inherent natures contained within domestic architectural spaces. The photographs in this series are saturated with fragments of what was once valued, of past luxuries and prizes, that despite neglect resist decay and refuse to be entirely dismissed. He captures the residual memories, histories and traces of past lives that persist in the facades of buildings, in empty rooms, windows, doors, stairways, and other distinguishing features of Bohra architecture. Through doing this Cortés’ images allude to the past contained within the present.
Commenting on the slow dissolution of a culture in its encounter with modernity, Cortés creates an ambiguous reality where the past and present blur and merge, where the architecture and physical environment become cultural artefacts, allowing the viewer to penetrate through the walls and access the inner realm of homes, spaces, lives and domestic routines of this otherwise concealed community.
Baitul Tarbiyat (Orphanage for Girls).
Exterior of Hararwala House.
Jhaveri House
Lady of the house at Roshanbhai Haharwala House
Najam Hararwala House.
Saifuddin Vagh House
Saifuddin Vagh House
Saifuddin Vagh House
Street of Saifeepura
(Tasveer and the Dr Bhau Daji Lad City Museum present “Sebastian Cortés -Sidhpur: Time Present Time Past” in Mumbai, as part of the gallery’s 9th season of exhibitions, in partnership with Vacheron Constantin and The Singleton of Glen Ord.The exhibition will stay on view at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum until April 30, 2015.)
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We have spotted this particular floral pattern in the hindi movie Hindi Medium in which the actress Saba Quareem wears big bold pattern with ease. Sab has worn many such big patterns through out the movie but the most striking among all was the floral pattern in Red and Green over White background.
]]>DIY and hobby crafters, get ready for a huge collection of wooden stamps to experiment with. DesiCrafts brings to you dreamcatchers, feathers, mandalas, buildings, kawaii animals, mandalas and more. Our expert artisans make sure that you have fun while printing with these wooden stamps.
We have made block printing pretty easy for newbies too! Each block comes packed with printed instructions on how to use and how to take care of your wooden blocks. And if you are an expert, you already know the deal ;)
Bad dreams pass through the round circle in the middle and the good dreams are caught in the net of the circle.
Our wooden stamp artisan has made some really nice dreamcatcher stamps. Have a look.
This is how the dreamcatcher in gold print looks after being printed on paper.
All these wooden stamps are suitable for stamping on textiles, clay, soap, wall, paper or any other smooth surface.
You can buy these new wooden stamps here or request custom made wooden stamps for yourself by sending an email to us.
According to wikipedia, in some Native American cultures, a dreamcatcher or dream catcher is a handmade willow hoop, on which is woven a net or web.
The dreamcatcher may also include sacred items such as certain feathers or beads.
All our wooden stamps are carefully carved to achieve perfection in printing. Before finishing the carving work wooden stamps are dipped into neem oil overnight to make them resistant towards pests and insects that feed on wood. It also makes the wooden stamp semi-waterproof in some way. Once they have soaked enough oil, it is time to remove excess oil by wiping them with a waste newspaper. Once the extra oil has been removed, white is applied on top part that is the carved portion. This makes the block look beautiful and also gives a finish.
DesiCrafts clients who are hobby crafters, block printers, soap makers and pottery artists, enjoy new supply of these lovely blocks on a regular basis.
Wooden block are used in many ways, people use them to decorate the walls. They are also used as wall hangers, Tea lights are another unique way of decorating your house with wooden block. Tea lights can be kept in the garden area, or in the worship place. A tea light on a dinner table is a romantic way of having a candle light dinner.
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Some times saris get old and other times we would like to discard them because we have worn at too many occasions or if they are out of trend. In India, it's not very uncommon to exchange an old sari and other clothes for something that you need in the kitchen or any other part of the house. The hawkers roam around and offer good deals on kitchen utensils and useful goodies like honey, turmeric, and garam masala.
In southern part of India, buying old saris is a flourishing business. Sometimes old sari buyers offer really good price on the saris if they are convinced about the quality.
But in case you are not living in any part of India where sari exchange is a common practice, and in case you don't want to give away your precious saris, we have these lovely ideas picked up from the Pinterest and other places. Try these and turn your house into a beautiful palace.
1. Use sari as decorative curtain:
You got a vintage silk sari that is not in wearable condition anymore? Can't throw it because of the sentiments attached to it? Don't worry, just install a straight curtain rod behind your bed or in your living room behind the sofa. And it will do the magic. The rich jari work of the sari will reflect light and will brighten up the whole room.
Image source: Pinterest board
2. Use for sofa makeover or to upholster a few chairs:
This lovely chair from Sahil and Sarthak (designer duo) is an eye catcher. Pretty as it gets, this chair is made using old kantha silk saris pieces and of course lots of imagination has gone into it.
3. Make mix-n-match cushion covers:
Vintage silk saris can be used to make cushion covers. Just give your creative self the wings of imagination and you can have a lovely makeover of your living room by adding up these sari patchwork cushion covers.
If you know stitching, things become easier as you have the freedom to play with the fabric pieces, colors with trims & embellishments.
You can make assorted shapes and sizes of the cushion covers odd looks better together.
4. As Headboard for your bed:
As headboard for your bed:Headboard gives a bed a grand look. Many DIY enthusiasts and experts on Pinterest share the pictures of lovely headboards that can bring dramatic changes the way the whole room look.Image source: Pinterest
5. As a dress:
In another blog post about saris, we have shared ideas about how a sari can be used in making a beautiful vintage dress. Many national and foreign designers are using vintage saris to make beautiful modern dresses.
Image source: Pinterest
Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and got brilliant craft ideas to make with saris. Please feel free to ask questions or share your opinion in the comments.
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