Ajrak Decadence – The Story – Saree 1/100

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Aina Mahal, Bhuj. A breathtaking picture of ruins in restoration, these stunningly hand carved trefoil lattices are one face of the palace complex that survived the ravages of the earthquake and represent rich intricate geometric patterns adorning the viewing galleries – a signature of islamic architecture of the time. These patterns, when observed closely, will resonate with a viewer familiar with Ajrak, and this indeed is one of the inspirations behind the motifs and print repeats of the traditional form … Read Full

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The Best Kind of Diwali

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Is this the best diwali ever?

It took me a long, long time and plenty of devotion to reach an organic, unsponsored, loving and positive, authentic, content driven 1k on Instagram

and I’m going to be extra af to celebrate this milestone because the journey to have an impact has impacted my life in a huge way!

Thank you, to all wonderful souls that paused to appreciate what I do

For every “You rock the saree” that replaced “Omg why … Read Full

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The Gamcha Saree: Woven Tales of Chic

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Everyone wants a piece of the whole gingham and checks hullaboo across runways, designers and department stores! Well, Indian Handlooms have been there and been doing that since a long time now, and what a cool, comfortable drape the gamcha check is!

Gamcha – a word often associated with towels – is a handloom textile woven in north eastern India. Thrown on the shoulder, wrapped around the head or waist, the cotton cloth with a mix of checks and stripes, … Read Full

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Upcycling is in: 5 Best Sneaker Hacks

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The number one reason I still don’t own a pair of white sneakers is how muddy our city is and how fast it takes (one local train ride, maybe) to take that sparkling pristine to drab dullness.
However, I love this look on everyone brave enough to carry it off and the recent initiative by Péro to upcycle Adidas Originals into unique, chic customized styles has me crushing on the many levels of sustainable love this is!
Upcycling simply means
… Read Full
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The Jean Project: Bling-it-on with Upcycling

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 I own and have accumulated probably as many as thirty pairs of jeans, being that annoying girl that eats a lot but never gets fat, still wearing the same waist size from high school. And I also own as many mass fashion Forever 21, Zara, or H&M denims as any of you. Then, doesn’t that make me a hypocrite for all the talk of being sustainable, turning to handlooms and handcrafted, and so on? 

Lets face it, not all of … Read Full

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The Cruelty Free Nailpolish Round Up: If Crushed Bugs Aren’t Your Thing

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This picture is ironic on many, many levels.

What it’s called on the package: carmine, crimson lake, carmine lake, cochineal, natural red 4, C.I. 75470, E120

What it actually is: Carmine is a red pigment made from crushing female cochineal beetles, and it reportedly takes 70,000 dead insects to make one pound of red dye. Helps to achieve red shades in make up.

Where it may be lurking: makeup, particularly in red lipsticks, blushers and nailpaint.

A shocking list of … Read Full

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Recycled Saree Dori: A Handspun Beauty

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I’ve stumbled upon treasure for crafty, eco-fashion loving designers, artists and hobby enthusiasts! KnitSilk.com and their page on Elanic now sell beautifully textured handspun saree silk yarn, and it’s perfect for all kinds of knitting, crochet, decorative and jewellery projects. Here’s what it’s all about;

This yarn is also known as the Himalayan Sari Silk Yarn made from  Sari Silk Fiber. During the making of Saris in India, a lot of small finer threads of various colours are left over

… Read Full
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The Jean Project: Sashiko!

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Upcycled fashion is a chic, easy and significant step towards reducing the humongous tonnes of waste generated by the fashion industry every year. This series of posts titled “The Jean Project” captures different DIY projects to revamp denims and up their style quotient, saving a trip to the mall for yet another pair!

Experimenting with ripped denims this week, I mend the done-to-death gaping holes in my jeans with a fun spin on an ancient Japanese embroidery technique called Sashiko… Read Full

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Summer Staples – Shibori, Batik, and other Handcrafted Tales

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With temperatures soaring, it’s time to create an all new summer wardrobe, replete with summer staples in light, breathe-easy and beautifully handcrafted textiles! Hand dyed cotton textiles that undergo traditional processes like mud or wax resist printing/block printing- such as batiks, indigo prints and kalamkaris- are usually incredibly soft, light and comfortable due to repeated washing involved in every stage of the handcrafted printing process.

Left, Ochre and Brown Batik – The making of a batik fabric involves spreading a … Read Full

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Boho Vibes

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A double ikat check pattern – this handwoven Indian textile has a wondrously precise construction technique wherein the pattern is tied and dyed at specific spots before weaving the yarns into a fabric. The skill and precision of the artisans is such that a pattern emerges at these specific spots after the yarns are interlaced into a fabric. The signature serrated pattern is a result of this handcrafted artistry (fabric sourced from Andhra Pradesh)

In the first design, a hint … Read Full

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