Craft Works :Doormat From Gunny Bag & Floormat From Old Saree

Hand made area rugs/ sitting mats with old sarees.

Hi to all the IL buddies.

Last Sunday when i opened my cupboard, I was suddenly buried under an Avalanche... of clothes. It took me some time to surface and breathe air! Drowning

Yes, and there went a hail of curses to myself and a plethora of them for the useless old nylon and butter silk sarees, which I no longer wore, but could not get rid of them, some for sentimental value and some for the sheer beauty of the fabrics.

I admit I am a hoarder - of Beautiful old silk sarees, which cannot be used now a days with the intrinsically embroidered fancy sarees flooding the fashion scene. Well, How on the earth could i be caught in those old color patterns and bold designs...
And I know a lot among you would agree with me

And then as though Gods opened the skies and showered me with an absolutely brilliant idea!

I quickly gave the whole lot of sarees a good wash and had them sundried. Now that the raw material was at hand, I started with the Work in Progress part...

You see, now comes the most important part of making these rugs. The twisting and /or the plaiting. Ofcourse I'll explain it.

Twisting is when you simply twist either one saree or two around each other and make it into a long roll.

Plaiting is when you take 3 of the sarees, and plait them like you plait your hair.

Ok, To start with... choose sarees of closely related colors for a light to dark effect or an alternately arranged light and dark effect. Now Ladies, is the time to bring out your creativity and have a slash with colors. I chose my lightest pink to the deepest magenta for a light to dark effect of hue.

I am sure, by now you will have a few queries for me.

So, Lets start with a step by step approach...

(You may have to have someone for help to hold the rounds of the sarees from keeping them from moving and becoming loose. I roped in my Cousins 6 year old daughter and she helped me finish what I had started, but I had to bribe her too. You will also have to have a few clothes pins and strong clips to help you hold on to the material together)

1. Take one end of the saree (hip to feet part), and bunch it together.Tie it and make it into a small knot, so that the twisting can be done without any loose ends. Pls make the knot as small as you can, so that it does not stand out in the rug.
2. Now hold the knot in the middle and keep twisting the saree around (like you are wringing the water out of the saree) around the knot and and lay it out in a circle, which now starts to look like a Chakli. Keep on turning rounds of the saree till the end. Please make sure that the encircling of the fabric is done tightly. This actually comes out very well with a little crisper silks, than the nylons and the gorgettes.

3. Secure the pallu end of the saree to the just inner circle of the chakli (Just like the way you would stick the outer end of the chakli dough in order to complete the chakli)
Now taking the next saree in a little darker shade and tie the 2 ends of the sarees (I agree this is a little tedious, but then the end result is really worth it.)

4. So you can continue with the number of the sarees, till you get the rug, the size of around 3 feet by 4 feet or even larger.

Some tips for getting a perfect finish:
The twisting shud be done as tightly as possible to get a strong layer of the rug.
For the Plaiting of the sarees, the inner end of all the 3 sarees (the end which is inserted into the lehenga) can be sewed one on top of the other and the plaiting can be done be having someone hold the sewn portion, and the three sarees can be intervowen.
You can even try the oblong egg like shape for accomodating more people on it.

When you have finished with the last saree you have chosen. Please tuck the end into the inner circle, again like the chakli. This will then have to be sewn by hand to secure it in place.

By the end of this, the whole rug is now ready. Next you can take larger pieces of the old bedsheet and sew them on, with the bedsheet on the bottom part. Pls take care when sewing, since it is necessary to hold all the rounds securely in place. You can start sewing from the inner portion to the outer portion of the rug, and sew around the edges of the

This can be used to sit on, instead of sitting on the floor, place it below your coffee table and rest your feet on. You can also use it to put small children on, while changing them or putting them to sleep.

Comeon, I think you all are creative enough to come out with your own ways of using it.

When i completed mine, i lost it the very same day as bribe, to my Cousin's daughter. I assume you must have liked this use of the old sarees, which can also be done with the bedsheets as well.

Write to me in case you have tried it, or if you have any questions.:thumbsup

 

Re: Hand made area rugs/ sitting mats with old sarees.

Hey Paroo
that's a fab idea... due to sentimental value or due the simple fact that where to find someone who would take the old stuff , even I stack stuff.
More or less you have explained quit nicely, if a pic could be adde , it will be easier for us to understand.
Only on equery , is saree easy to handle , as it is quite broad. other times I have read about torn up slits of a cloth.

 

Re: Hand made area rugs/ sitting mats with old sarees.

hi paroo,

this seems very very interesting !!! must try hands on...but i dont have that many sarees......all are new ones...........as muzna said, a picture your unique and effortful task will make things easier for us !!

 

Re: Hand made area rugs/ sitting mats with old sarees.

Hi Muzna, Roopa.,

It really didnt strike me so as to click the Pics of the Rugs which were made, and more so since I gave it away. But I shall definitely click the pics next time I try them and Let that be sooner.

Old sarees, due to wear and tear are simplere to handle, but as I said earlier, you would someone equally enthusiastic to help you out. You can crumple them and twist them like a rope. And there is no worry about spoiling them too.

You can also try tiny ones to start with, with the old bedsheets, even with strips, which can be plaited and then twisted.

I so regret not having taken a Pic.... I Promise to do it next time.

 

mat used by old saree

Dear Friends,

i saw mat used by old sarees in some of the sites but i cant get a clear idea about that. can anybody explain the procedure?

Thanks in advance

 

I also made a similar one both with gunny bag and an old nightie of mine...

 

Nice work Viji, love the kolam on the rug!!!

 

Hai Viji mam,

That's really a great idea. And thanks for sharing.

Your mat turned out great.