#muslins

When you flat out admitted this genocide doesn’t really count.

But, hey, you are a feminist.

Burlington City Council being socially relevant for once.

Costumes and Textiles of Royal India

Ritu Kumar

edited by Cathy Muscat

Christie’s Books, London 1999, 272 pages, 140 color plates 50 black and white,  26x33,5 cm., ISBN  978-0903432559

euro 260,00

email if you want to buy :[email protected]

For centuries, the ruling dynasties of India promoted the skills of spinners, weavers, dyers, printers and embroiderers, commissioning textiles from renowned centres of excellence across the subcontinent. Delicate muslins from Dacca, fine silk brocades from Varanasi, complex woollen weaves from Kashmir, intricate gold embroideries from Lahore - all were transformed into costumes fit for kings and courtiers. After years spent searching for the last surviving examples of traditional court clothing, designer Ritu Kumar has uncovered a wealth of costumes. Her book is a celebration of thousands of years of craft tradition and a testimony to the survival of the world's richest textile repertoire.

09/03/22

orders to:     [email protected]

ordini a:        [email protected]

twitter:@fashionbooksmi

Small prints were the most popular kind for most of the 20th Century, and you can see why if you consider the cut of this dress. The skirt of this 1940s dress can only flare and nip in at the waist via the multiple gores, but to cut up a large print would look awkward as piecing it would be impossible. Enter the small print in a cheap rayon, which is busy enough that the lines of the pieces themselves disappear. This was actually my test muslin to see if it fit. Then, I altered the pattern in various ways when I cut it out in a burgundy wool crepe for a work dress.

But I realized that the muslin could be tweaked enough to work fit well as well. The bustline was too low, so I took it up from the shoulders, and then trimmed the sleeves down so that the sleeve openings would match as much as possible, and the excess was gathered softly at the top of the sleeve. I made the neckline a little deeper after that and I will trim it with a ruffle when I am done. The hemline is much longer because the original dress was too long for me and rayon fabric stretches. So, I will cut this one at tea length and leave it at that. To take up the hem to just below the knee would eliminate so much of the flare of the skirt, it is better to go with the longer length.

The last few months have been full of researching and trying to compare and learn about the various ‘big ticket’ items and we’ll be going shopping next weekend to have a go on some prams, car seats etc, which I’m excited to do.

We bought our first few things for Baby Girl today 💕

Kind friends have already bought/given us some adorable items of clothing which is ever so lovely of them and incredible to think how she’ll actually be IN them in just a few months 😍 Heart very full and happy, thinking of that.

Today we popped into TK Max because I’d had a tip off that they often have some good brands of baby stuff in stock at much better prices- and it’s true, they do have lots of lovely stuff.

I got the woodland animal print muslin blanket for throwing on surfaces before applying her to them (ie protecting both her and the furnishings haha!) the pretty muslin swaddles, because I’d heard that giant muslins are a good idea and these beautiful bandana dribble-bibs because I think they’re a great idea for protecting her clothes and I always think they look so adorable.