The Art of Repurposing Saris … in Mul-Khesh

As a teenager, I decided it was my destiny to become the next prominent fashion designer. After all, I had a sewing machine - what else did I need ...

Skill?

Talent?

Creativity?

Well, I had none of those things -- but I had enthusiasm!

Oodles and oodles of it!!

So the sewing machine became my best friend ... except on occasions when I somehow managed to jam unimaginable amounts of fabric in the machine. Then the machine was my worst enemy.

In the beginning, my mom encouraged my newfound interest in dress design. She even generously purchased materials for me.

I sensed she wanted to see my rages-to-riches story unfold ...but then (I guess) she saw that I was taking her riches and turning them all into rages-

AND,

the encouragement stopped there ...so did the fabric purchases.

I did not let that deter me, and soon I was 'shopping' for fabrics in mummy's sari closet.

Thankfully she did not mind me using her old saris for my new designs.

In fact, she liked getting space to purchase new saris when I took the old saris to repurpose.

And just like that, my closet started growing with skirts and salwars, though they never really looked like they were supposed to - I could claim that to be part of the design if I choose to.

Yet as the saying goes, 'you never know where life is going to take you!' ...and in college, I discovered the world of Debits and Credits and found that my destiny was in the glamorous world of accounting (I can not understand why you are laughing).

This week's featured sari reminds me of that time ...long ago, when I was happily repurposing saris.

So without future ado -

This week’s featured Sari: A Mul Khesh Sari with Warli Art Work.

In the future, I promise to discuss Mulmul - I have many Mulmul saris, so the opportunity will present itself soon.

Next week, we will discuss Warli Art Work.

Today, however, is about Khesh, which is a beautiful example of how Indian weavers have been carrying on the tradition of up-cycling for decades.

Khesh is a technique of weaving with shreds of old sarees.

It is believed to have started in the early 1920s at Shilpa Sadan, which was a vocational training center set up by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore is renowned for many things, but the one most interesting to me is that in 1913 he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Initially, the fabrics produced by these weaves were restricted to bags and bedcovers. Soon enough, it found its way into other household goods.

Eventually, in 2007 designers started to think of ways to use this weaving method to create saris. It did not work at first because the threads used traditionally were too thick …yet as they say, where there is a will, there is a way! And after some experimentation, the Khesh process found its way to a beloved sari.

The khesh weaving process is simple. The warp is with new yarn (in this case, Mulmul), and the weft is with shreds made by tearing old sarees lengthwise. The shredding process by hand is almost as tricky as the weaving, but weavers have developed shortcuts over the years. The outcome of the final fabric can never be predicted beforehand, but most people say the surprise element is the beauty of the material.

...much like my repurposed creations – I never really knew what I was going to end up with OR if I would be able to fit in it, that was always a surprise!!

See you all next week.

Love, Sari Sunday!

Sari: Suta

Blouse: Crop Top from Macy's