Simple Wall Hangings Using a Cooker Gasket

   

Gasket Art - She knows Her Mind

 Traditional Craft

Gasket decoration is a traditional craft of the south. It is particularly famous among the Badagas of Nilgiris. There are a lot of techniques involved in this craft. You can knit, stitch or paste according to your requirements. Given here is the old method using gasket and fish wire. This beautiful wall hanging was used to adorn the drawing rooms. Nowadays this craft is not so common. Also there are a lot of variations to the original craft. This is easy to understand and to try. The raw materials needed for the craft are readily available. Old and unwanted cooker gaskets are used for this.

The badagas are the natives of the Nilgiri Hills. Since they hail from a hill station, they are very good at making sweaters and shawls. They make different kinds of handicrafts from glass, wool, wood, fish wire and gasket. They are known to make their own crafts for interior decoration. It is hard to believe that they actually can make it from such simple things. For instance from fish wire they can make the structures of fruits, vegetables, birds, show pieces and baskets. Their houses are very colorful and are mostly made of handmade items. They also knit scarves and crochets.

Images: Indusladies

How to make the wall hanging

The pressure cooker gasket is a rubber ring that fits into the lid of the cooker. This regulates the pressure while cooking. But sometimes due to wear and tear the gasket does not do the required function. These gaskets cannot be used for cooking anymore. Such items are used to create beautiful wall hangings.

Time required: 1 hour

Difficulty: easy

Materials:

·         Cooker Gasket

·         Fish wire

·         Match Sticks

·         Velvet paper

·         Thermocol Sheet

·         Decorative Mirrors

·         Your favorite picture

Tools:

·         Cello tape

·         Scissors

Instructions:

1. Trace the inner outline of the gasket on a thermocol sheet. Now with the same radius cut the velvet paper.

2. Stick the velvet paper on the thermocol sheet and keep it within the gasket.

3. Place a matchstick on the gasket. Now take the fish wire and secure one end on the gasket with a cello tape.

4. Twist it around the match stick in the form of an '8’. Now place the next match stick and twist the fish wire around it in the previous pattern.

5. Continue doing it till you cover the entire circle and reach the point where you started. Cut the fish wire and paste it to the gasket using a cello tape. Now you get a beautiful twisted border along the gasket's outline.

6. You can choose your own design for the central portion using beads, chamkis or mirrors as shown.

7. Stick your favorite picture or your family photo on the velvet cloth in the center using glue.

8. Tie a loop from the thermocol and your wall hanging is ready to decorate your drawing room.

Protect Your Craft

When you make such a wall hanging it might seem as if the luster of the product is reduced after few months due to dust accumulation.Cover it well with a transparent cover to preserve it. There are a lot of products available in the market specially for these purposes.

Crochet Inspired Gasket

Given here is a craft for those who love crochets. You can knit any design of your choice.

Material needed:

Woollen threads

Needles

Small pins

A small toy

Ribbons

Paper

Method:

Cover the gasket with a shiny or bright color paper.

You can make the paper rose by tracing and cutting the shape of ten petals and then joining them together.

You have to cut out the leaves too. In case you are finding this part difficult, you can purchase small paper roses from the shop.

Measure the gasket and knit a beautiful design using the woollen threads accordingly. It is best to make the design out of different colors.

Now stretch the design outside the gasket (the gasket should be within the design) and start pinning at equal distances using small colored pins. (The pins should be able to hold the design in place)

Now stick the ribbons and small toys on it along the circumference. On the ribbon stick these paper roses.For a bright colored ribbon choose a light colored paper rose.

You can also use buttons for an added effect.

Spiritual Gasket

Do the outer layer as shown previously. Within the inner space, cut your favorite picture according to the circle and stick it on a cardboard. You ca also try out by painting something on your own. It would be a memorable gift to someone else.

Gasket with the family drawing of Lord Shiva.

Themed Gasket

Here is another simple craft idea with a gasket for those who find this twisting with fish wire difficult.This is a very straight forward type of craft.

Materials needed:

Cloth or paper flowers

Plastic grass

Small bird toys

Glue

Method:

Trace the outline of a flower in a paper and cut it. In the same method trace twenty flowers.

Now paint the flowers in a plain or double color and allow it to dry.

Clean the gasket well before using. Otherwise it might retain some dirt in the groove.

Now paste the flowers one by one on the border of the gasket.

Buy some plastic grass and stick it in the lower end. It is available in all aquarium shops.

Finally place the birds in the appropriate position and stick the toys with glue.

You can come up with your own theme and decorate the gasket accordingly.

Gasket with Hanging

If you do not want a clustered central portion for your wall hanging, then here is an alternate method.

You can use the same fish wire to make small shapes like fish or bird and hang it in the center. You can get small toys or flowers and use it too.

Why spend money on wall hangings when you can creatively come up with these. These are brilliant gift ideas too. What do you think of them? Have you heard or tried these types of hangings? Let us know!

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Budget Friendly DIY Ideas Using a Sari

Sari - She knows her Mind

Whenever I want to decorate my home or buy something for the house, certain times I'm not happy with the value of the products. Not only they take up too much money but their quality is debatable. That is when I decided to look around and take inspiration from some of my relatives who are very good at making things on a budget. It is fun, less costly and gives more satisfaction as per my personal experience. Initially I did not seem to have the patience for doing things myself. But slowly the ideas started growing on me. Sari or Saree is the traditional wear of India worn in different styles across the country. Here is a list of easy ideas you can incorporate using a sari at your home without much fuss. You will be as surprised as me with some of these do-it-yourself ideas. I myself did not believe it till I saw some of them. Hope you like it.

Images: Chandradey,photobucket.com,lemontree

What is a Sari?

Sari is the traditional Indian wear that is worn both in the North and the South. There are different styles of saris at different prices.

It is available in two lengths - six yards and nine yards. Most common type of sari worn is the six yard sari. For some styles of sari the other length is preferred. It is draped elegantly around the body is different fashions.

The sari is a very unique wear as it can convey homeliness, calmness, elegance, glamour and fashion all depending on the person wearing it. Till my mother's generation,it is the commonly accepted wear for ladies.

In ancient period, the Hindus believed that a fabric loses its purity when it is cut and stitched. That is why they preferred the sari which is made out of a single smooth cloth.

Recycle and Reuse

My mother has a lot of used and old saris some of which are still in good condition. I tried these activities with that and I’m very happy with the outcome. Saris can be used for a variety of purposes within the house. It is economic and at the same time very beautiful to look at.

Here are some simple things you can do as a do-it-yourself (DIY) hobby and put these saris to good use. 

How to make a floor mat

My aunt is an expert in making handicrafts out of used saris. She introduced this craft to her whole village through women's self-help team. Now every house in the village has at least one self-made mat.

The process is simple and less time consuming. If you need the mat to be of a single color, use a single sari. Otherwise you can use multiple saris to make your mat colorful.

Materials:

·         Old Sari - 1

·         Glue

·         Sewing thread

·         Scissors

Instructions:

1. Take an old clean sari and cut it into breadthwise strips.

2. Tie the first three strips together at the top. Then plait the strips just like braiding hair. When you reach the desired length of the floor mat sew the bottom side so that the plait is held in place.

3. Take the next three strips, tie at the top. Plait it tightly and sew the bottom side.Repeat the process till you get the desired breadth of the floor mat.

4. Stick all these separate plaited strips to one another with the help of a strong glue.

5. Take a thread and sew the loose ends if any.Place a heavy object on the mat till the glue dries.

6. The above procedure is for straight mats. Alternately you can make round or oval mats too.

Finally decorate the mat with color pastes or glitter pastes.

Cushion Cover

Choose a sari with uniform design. Cut the sari as per the measurement of the cushion to be covered.

Stitch the sari in along three sides to make a pouch.

Insert the cushion into the sari and then stitch the final corner.

Now your favorite sari can adorn the sitting room!

Using the same procedure you can make a pillow cover too.

Bed Canopy

Do you have a king size bed that needs a little bit of decoration? Use multiple colored saris to make a great bed canopy.

In the baduga tradition saris are used to decorate the wedding altar. This inspired me to try some new decorations with saris in my own bed and needless to say it looks elegant.

The selection of saris for this should be made carefully. When using multiple saris, the colors should blend with each other to create a seamless picture. Using multiple contrasting saris can mar the effect. It is best to use saris of similar material and models as it would go well with the bed. Avoid using heavily decorated saris as this might be too heavy and uncomfortable to be used as a canopy. An ideal selection would be a light weight, bright colored embroidered sari.

Bed canopies can be made with hooks similar to curtains. Then the sari can simply be draped over the hooks.

Curtains

The advantage of using a sari for a variety of purposes is that saris are available in different shades and beautiful materials. There are literally thousands of varieties depending on the area in which it is manufactured. Choose a light weight embroidered sari for making curtains. You even have lace saris for making lace curtains.Measure the doorway and cut the sari according to the needed length. Hem the borders. You can even choose borders from some other sari and stitch it over another sari for an impressive effect.

How to make a Tablecloth

Stencils and fabric paints are a great way to make your own table cloth. They are available in a variety of designs and sizes.

Make sure to choose a light colored sari as background for dark colored stencil drawing. You can experiment with a variety of paints and fabrics using this technique.

If you want to make your own stencil at home, use chart paper to cut the design you like just like a stencil. Then follow the same procedure.

Materials:

·         Sari

·         Stencils

·         Fabric Paint

·         Sewing thread

Instructions:

1. First cut and hem the length of the sari you want to use as a table cloth.

2. Place a cardboard on the table. On it place the sari.

3. Keep the stencil and measure the number of designs you can make at approximately equal intervals.

4. Now start tracing the design using the stencil with roll over fabric paint

5. Wait till the design is dry and trace the next pattern. Repeat this process till the entire cloth is designed.

6. Allow the cloth to dry.

Letter holder

Take a thin strip of a sari of your choice.

Measure the length of the holder you need. For instance if you need 15 cm as the length, start measuring from the top of th strip. At 20 cm, fold the sari upward to the 15 cm mark. A small pouch is created by this effect. Stitch the two sides well. Your topmost holder is ready. Repeat the process till you arrive at three or four holders as you require.

Your letter holder is ready. You can decorate the outer sides with bows and sticker stars.

Make a Pillow

For making a pillow, buy some cotton cloth and stuff it uniformly with rags or unwanted cloth pieces. It helps if all the rags are of the same material. My mother makes it with the pieces of cloth she cuts away while stitching a cloth. Then she collects all these tiny bits and puts them in a cotton cloth already stitched along three corners. After filling the cotton pouch, she stitches the final side and covers it with a sari cover. It looks and feels absolutely great!

Do you have any more interesting ideas for a DIY project? Let us know!

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Tamil Aathichudi - The easiest way to teach kids discipline

Tamil Aathichudi - She Knows Her Mind

A Timeless Classic

Aathichudi is a collection of verses written by the great Tamil Poetess Avvaiyar. It is believed that there were three poets by the same name in three different time periods. This particular contribution is however done by the Avvaiyar who lived during the Chola dynasty. Avvai means 'respected woman'. Her songs are the first introduction to the Tamil language when a child starts school. The meaning of the verses are suitable to any time period which is exactly the reason why even after a millennium, children read her poetry with great interest. Among all her other literary works, aathichudi is the most widely read work. Another specialty of this great work is that it teaches the Tamil alphabet along with moral values. In other languages, alphabets are associated with things. (For example: A for apple) but this poem emphasizes on the alphabet through values for life.

Images: Wikipedia Commons

History

Avvaiyar as a baby was adopted by a childless Brahmin couple. She was brought up with much care. Even from a young age she had a keen interest on poetry. She strongly believed in Lord Ganesh. Her poems were simple with a deep meaning. In her later years , she did not stay at on place. She never married as her aim was to spread the knowledge of divinity and Tamil far and wide. She explored a lot of villages and associated with the poor folk getting to know their lifestyle and needs. Her devotion to the Tamil language was extra-ordinary that even Adhiaman (the then ruler of the kingdom) is said to have given her the Indian gooseberry which was deemed to make a person immortal. Legend says that she did not die but was bodily transported to heaven by Lord Shiva.

In her honor an award is named after her which recognizes women’s contribution to language, arts, science, culture, media and management. Woman who have done great service in terms of social reforms and communal harmony are also recognized for this award.

Though we call it aathichudi, there are different versions depending on the usage of alphabets. So far nine different versions have been found. But the most popular versions are the uyir ezhuthu version , which follows 12 set of alphabets and the urirmei ezhuthu version , which follows 18 set of alphabets. As is the practice of every Tamil poem, this poem too starts with an invocation to the blessings of the Almighty.

Aathichudi with translation

1. Desire to do deeds of virtue

2. Learn to master your anger

3. Always help people when you can

4. Always be charitable

5. Do not brag about your riches

6. Do not give up hope whatever the circumstance is.

7. Respect what you learn

8. Begging is despicable

9. Give food to a starving man before eating

10. Be virtuous

11. Never stop learning

12. Gossiping is not a good virtue

13. Never cheat on weight when selling food grains

Facts

1. The movie Avvaiyar based on the great Tamil poet was released by Gemini picture in 1953. It had great historical and moral value and was planned to be released even at the US with English subtitles.

2. Avvaiyar at her old age wanted to end her literary career. But history says that Lord Muruga intervened and changed her mind. Since then, it is believed that she started writing especially for kids.

3. She single-handedly averted a war between two kings (Adhiaman and Tondaiman) by a single poem.

4. The name Aathichudi is named after Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha who wears the Aathi flowers.

NASA quotes Avvaiyar

What we have learned

Is like a handful of earth;

What we have yet to learn

Is like the whole world

- Auvaiyar, 4th C poet, India

Moral code

Athichudi is a moral code of conduct which considers a valueless life meaningless. Physical and mental health along with righteous path is covered in this verse. It was specifically meant for children In schools today, this particular poem is a poem that has to be memorized. Sometimes, it has made me wonder whether the child at such an young age can understand the uniqueness and the magnitude of this poem. Maybe the child does not understand it completely but what happens it, the verses are ingrained at such a young age that you can get it clarified at any age. Since the language is simple, it is very easy to communicate the meaning to the child. One has to be careful in teaching one complete poem on one style. Since there are so many versions, it is easy to get confused over it and meddle the lines or the context. Parents should take efforts to follow one particular (either old or new athichudi). The other versions can be taught side by side once the child grows up or when the child is inquisitive.

The moral code prescribed here are easy to implement when we take the verse to our heart. It is on par with the Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar.

Uyir Mei Athichudi

Don't exaggerate what you see

Be a sensibly powerful force due to which the whole family gets respected

Bath in cold water.

Speak in a good manner

Judiciously space your living place.

Befriend good people.

Look after your parents well.

Value gratitude.

Do not procrastinate.

Never occupy another person's land.

Turn away from demeaning deeds.

Don't play with snakes.

Cotton bed is best for sleeping.

Vengeance is bad.

Never do bad things.

Learning when young is important.

Be charitable.

Sleeping for prolonged hours is unhealthy

Android App

Aathichudi has been converted into android app. It contains 108 verses with simple translations in English for easy understanding.

Quotes of Avvaiyar

- Don’t wait for a return benefit as to when a good deed done will pay back, but be just like that tall and erect coconut tree that drank water from its feet gives the benefit of giving that sweet water by its head.

- The rain falls on behalf of the virtuous, benefiting everyone in the world.

- What you have learned is a mere handful; What you haven’t learned is the size of the world.

- Known is a drop. Unknown is an ocean.

Bharathiyar Aathichudi

Pudhiya Aathichudi is yet another version written by the national poet mahakavi subramaniya bharathiar. He was an Indian independence activist who took inspiration from the original poem and modified it to the then generation of youth. He wanted to trigger their patriotism through his new poem. Like the previous version, this poem too is suitable for all time periods.

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