Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Saturday, 16 February 2013

How to tie saree

In my previous post, I wrote about dhotee. Here we will learn how to tie saree. A sari is an Indian subcontinental women's garment. It has been worn historically many times, being the native dress of India. There are today several types of saris and many different fashions. The main section is about 6 yards long, but don't let that frighten you! Dressing in a sari is very easy and it looks gorgeous on anybody. Here are a few steps that you can take to be sure that you dress in your sari appropriately.
  1.  Determine the shoes that you plan to wear. The height of your heels is important for determining where the bottom of the sari should reach. Since some saris might be transparent, try to wear an underskirt too. The shoes should be elegant, like golden sandals
  2. Hold the sari so the fall is facing towards you. The fall is a long piece of unadorned cotton.
  3. Wrap the sari around your waist and tuck it in once. The pallu (decorated side) should be on the outside.
  4. Wrap it around again, but don't tuck it in. Pull the pallu until it is as long as your outstretched arm when your arm is by your side. Tuck it over your shoulder.
  5. Tighten the cloth and tuck it in 3 to 4 inches to the left of your belly button.
  6. Pleat it. Stretch your left hand and hold the cloth with your thumb and pinkie fingers. Wind the cloth with your right hand through the thumb and pinkie holding with alternating fingers. You should end with 5-6 pleats, but you can have more if your hands are small.
  7. Tuck in your pleats. It is a good idea to pin the pleats together so that they stay in place the whole day. Generally speaking, 20 centimeters below the waist is a good basis.
  8. Drape the remaining fabric around yourself from left to right, and over your shoulder.
  9. Secure the end portion on your shoulder with a safety pin
  Here's a video

Monday, 11 February 2013

How to tie panchakacham (dhotee)

The pancha kachcham (panja kacham or kacham) is a form of wearing the dhoti, typically worn by grihasthas (men who are married) on special occasions such as Pujas or festivals and some orthodox persons daily, during their routine Puja times. It is typically a dhoti of eight to ten square yards (according to the height and girth of the person) worn in a specific way. The steps below describe the way as according to Iyers (South Indian Brahmins).
source
  1. Main and important thing is that pancha kachcham should be worn by married men and not a bachelor (It's not like a jeans or other dresses)
  2. Open the 8 or 9 hands (4 - 4.5 yards )dhoti completely.
  3. Hold the dhoti such that you are right down the center of the dhoti (lengthwise). Both the ends should be free and you should be holding the dhoti such that there is enough dhoti to go around you just once.
  4. Wrap it around you once keeping the wrap a little tight at the stomach portion
  5. Fold the dhoti a few times so that the it is held firmly at your hip.
  6. Take the end that is on top (typically should be the one to your left); Starting from the end, slowly make folds of about 2 inches each (kosuval)
  7. Insert the folds into the wrap around the hip
  8. Take the breadth portion of the top fold and starting from the end (so that the border coloring is visible), make similar fold
  9. Insert this second set of folds on top of the previous one
  10. Take the other free end of the dhoti, starting breadthwise, make similar folds.
  11. Run this between your legs and bring it behind you
  12. Ensure that the folds are not twisted.
  13. Insert the new set of folds behind your back

For step by step pictures - read this.