Newsletter 31 - June-August 2003 Newsletter 31 - June-August 2003Summary:
1. news
2. new web links
3. washing saris...some advice
4. my experiences with saris
5. reply to previous contributions
6. a sarong drape
7. a personal note from Chantal
1. NEWS:
*** See this web site for a project on "saris for peace",
somewhat related to the "Burning Man":
http://www.dragondebris.com/burning_man_2003/Peace_Saris/FrameSet.htm
*** If you know or participate in an event, web site, etc. connected
with draping, please let us know. This "news" feature
is yours!
2. NEW WEB LINKS:
Thank you to all of you who suggested new web links. This quarter's
crop is especially impressive. THANK YOU,
and please, keep up the good work!
Middle-Eastern clothing through the ages, including draped clothes
and headdresses from Roman times (be patient and scroll to the
end... somewhat scholarly...):
http://webpages.charter.net/wildrose/Articlefolder/an_overview_of_middle.htm
How did Greek and Roman Goddesses drape their divine bodies? See
the answer given by an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art:
http://metmuseum.org/special/Goddess/goddess_splash.htm
Potomac Crafstmen Guild: Women of a US crafting guild study Indian
sari wrapping. Interesting...
http://www.potomaccraftsmenguild.org/saris.htm
What is a "kikoy"? Obviously a kind a cloth meant to
be draped. It is from East Africa and proves that there are many
great drapes in that part of the world. Have a look at the site:
http://www.kikoy.com
This site is a source to purchase authentic Javanese Kain Panjung
wrap garment cloths (commonly, although inaccurately known as
sarongs). They are good quality, and reasonably priced.
The home page URL is: "http://www.ethnicarts.com"
Select the "Textiles" option, then look for the particular
cloth of interest. You will see "Batik Cotton Vintage Cap
sarongs", the "Batik Cotton Tulis sarongs", and
the "Batik Cotton Printed sarongs". Even though they
are described as "sarongs", they are in fact mostly
open waist wrap cloths (some of the cap cloths are actually sarungs
- see last page).
IDC member David L. Rosenthal has purchased several, and is quite
satisfied with them.
This is NOT a web site, but an Adobe Acrobat document for download:
http://pages.prodigy.net/alkear/Turban_Wraps.pdf
It's a guide to drape "tribal turban" for women (sort
of African headdresses).
Site selling saris, also with explanations on how to wear the
modern style:
http://www.exoticindia.com/howtowear/1/
This is a link to a site with kilts. Try the "It's a guy
thing" button. It might interest some readers, though its
not truly just a drape.
http://www.bearkilts.com/
Both links are of photo albums from the same Sikh wedding ceremony
(I believe in Canada). There are only a couple of shots in each
of turban wrapping, but what interested our contributor more was
is the visual record of a Sikh ceremony:
http://community.webshots.com/album/64213596lrifCi
http://community.webshots.com/album/65006867gaBwLr
3. WASHING SARIS... SOME ADVICE
by Rahima Ali
I recently bought cotton saris to wear and practice draping. However
it's been difficult to wash them. Difficult to squeeze water out.
They drip all over. Nowhere to hang them. I washed 2 saris in
washing machine, cold water, hand wash cycle. One got caught in
the bottom of the pole that's in the middle of the machine. My
husband had to pull it out. It tore, got ruined.
My husband suggested buying net bags designed to wash lingerie
to use for washing saris. A large bag will hold 1 sari. I bought
3 bags, put a sari in each one and washed them in the machine
on cold water along with other clothes.
They washed very nicely-the spin cycle got out the excess water.
Of course I hung them up to dry. No dripping and they will dry
quickly. Don't hang wet cotton saris in sunlight otherwise they
will fade.
4. MY EXPERIENCES WITH SARIS
by Rahima Ali
I have loved saris from the very first time I noticed them almost
20 years ago. I had gone shopping on Devon Avenue [several blocks
of Indian shops] in Chicago to buy ingredients for a recipe. It
was summertime. As I walked along I noticed many Indian ladies
wearing pleated, ankle length dresses. The colors and patterns
were beautiful.
I stopped in a shop to inquire about buying one. In the changing
room I put on an ankle length underskirt which the clerk tied
tightly around my waist. She quickly tucked, pleated and wrapped
a length of colorful cloth in and around the underskirt. The mirror
reflected my beautiful sari. I was immediately fascinated by the
idea that without stitching, a length of cloth could be turned
into a beautiful dress.
However, I decided against buying it. I don't have much use of
my left hand because of a birth defect and I doubted that I'd
be able to wrap a sari properly. The process seemed quite intricate.
I bought a salwar kameez instead.
Over the years I made many trips to Devon Avenue, always noticing
the women in their saris. Through my observations I noticed a
few women wearing saris without pleats. These women were usually
elderly. Occasionally their saris would be wrapped around or between
their legs. In this way I learned that there are different sari
styles.
I read about Chantal Boulanger's book "Saris: An Illustrated
Guide to the Art of Draping" on the IDC web site. It was
such a joy to come into contact with another person who loves
saris as much as I do.
I ordered the book knowing that I could take as much time as I
needed to learn to wrap a sari. I had high hopes that my desire
and determination to wear a sari would compensate for the physical
challenge that my disability presented.
I set to work, sometimes spending 100 hours or more in order to
learn one wrap. The time flies by when I work on a sari. In the
3 months since my book arrived I have learned to wrap the Eastern
saris, the modern sari and the Khond "one-shoulder"
sari.
The Khond "one-shoulder" sari was my first project.
It proved to be a real challenge. When I pulled the cloth from
under my left arm to the top of my left shoulder in front I could
barely get the upper corner of the pallav coming from the back
to the top of my left shoulder in order to tie a knot. And when
after a long struggle I managed to tie a knot, the sari fit so
tightly I could barely walk. I worked on the Khond "one-shoulder
sari for months wondering what I could be doing wrong. Finally,
last night I figured it out. I was cutting my sari that got ruined
in the wash machine to make a Khond "one-shoulder" sari.
I am bigger across the chest than many women so I made this Khond
sari 3 and 1\2 yards long instead of the usual 3 yards. I put
it on with no problems. It fits comfortably-looks quite elegant.
Now that it's summertime, I wanted a style that I can wear without
an underskirt. So I chose the modern sari. I found it very easy
to wrap. When I make the pleats I sit down and rest my left hand
in my lap. I make the pleats and guide the cloth with my right
hand, using my left hand to hold the completed pleats.
Learning to drape the Eastern saris came easily to me. However,
I spent many hours wrapping and unwinding both the Bengali and
the Oraon saris. I thought I was doing something wrong because
the pallavs didn't hang down my back like they do in the modern
sari. I wrote to Chantal and she explained to me that the pallavs
of these 2 saris are not very long.
From my experiences of learning different drapes I have learned
to let go of my preconceived ideas of how a sari is supposed to
look. Each style has its own unique look, feel and movement. Now
that I've realized this, I may have an easier time learning new
wraps.
I would like to feel comfortable wearing the sari styles that
I have learned. I'd like to be able to get up in the morning,
put on my sari without thinking much about it and go about my
daily routine. This will take some time. I don't want to give
myself the option of wearing stitched garments and I don't work
outside the home so I have devised a game. When I awake in the
morning I tell myself "All you have to wear today is this
length of cloth". Then I put on my sari.
Right now I am working with the modern sari. I can dress in 5
minutes. The pleats look good. When wearing this style of sari
becomes a comfortable, natural part of my daily routine I will
begin wearing another style that I have learned, using this same
approach. In this way I will learn and enjoy wearing different
styles of saris.
18 May 2003 by Rahima Ali
5. REPLY TO PREVIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS.
By Leonore
Hello to all and to Beth:
Read with interest your wax resist article. I am familiar with
tinting wax application, never did wax block application.
For removal of wax may I suggest this:
Buy in thrift store or advertise to find an old (GE or Maytag)
"mangle". These are roller "ironers" made
for households in the 50s. They have two speeds and process about
30 inch wide cloth, rolling it a low to hi temps. I paid $ 25,oo
fifteen yrs ago in CA, then $125 for a machine in CT five yrs
ago. In the Midwest of the USA you find still some of this heavy
old and indestructible ironing machines that could help you remove
wax in no time!! Let me know how you make out. You can reach me
also on
TanleafL@netscape.net
6. A SARONG DRAPE:
By Patricia C. Vener
I have a drape to describe. I think I made it up but I'm not sure.
So here goes. I use one of those long Indonesian sarongs, not
the rayon ones, the more traditional cotton ones. There's about
2 yards of cloth to them. Anyway, I wrap it around my waist and
tie one corner to wherever along the fabric it meets. Next I pleat
the end (let's call it a pallav just for clarity's sake). I smooth
the pleats then tuck them under the skirt flap, between my legs,
up and out of the top border so it lies like a pinkosu. This gives
me a skirt on one side and over the front, and a trouser on the
other side. My mother thinks it's very becoming and it is her
favorite of my pareo drapes.
Is there a "real" drape like this anywhere?
7.PERSONAL NOTE FROM CHANTAL:
Thank you very much to all of you who have made this newsletter
so full and interesting. Please keep on writing and if you have
something to say about draped clothes, don't hesitate! WRITE!
Otherwise things have been quiet except that you may have noticed
that "Bollywood India" is becoming very popular these
days. Let's hope that the interest will grow to include saris.
Thanks to the web site mentioned in §2, I have also learned
about "kikoys", and I hope that more studies will be
done on African drapes...
Best wishes!
Chantal
chantal@idcw.org.uk
Please do not hesitate to send any question, suggestion, criticism.
If you have some links to suggest, please let us know!
If you wish to write something for the newsletter, please do so
and Email it to <members@idcw.org.uk>.
Newsletter publication dates and deadlines for contributions:
- 1st of June (June-August): deadline for contributions: 15th
of May
- 1st of September (September-November): deadline for contributions:
15th of August
- 1st of December (December-February): deadline for contributions:
15th of November
- 1st of March (March-May): deadline for contributions: 15th of
February