DIY ǁ Origami Cube String Lights

Hey guys!

So I talked in a post a few days ago about learning new things, and traditional crafts in particular. (Haven't seen it yet? Click right here ! ) I also mentioned that I am keen on learning origami again. I used to know a teeny bit when I was younger, thanks to a friend who used to live in Japan back then and gifted me some cool origami books, but since then I have forgotten most of what I used to know.

So I started with one of the easiest projects out there - the inflatable paper cube! I found this amazing tutorial over on Wit and Whistle and had to give it a try.

All you need is a small square sheet of paper ( mine was 15cm x 15cm ), but you can customise that to suit your need. Here's a YouTube tutorial to help anyone who would like to attempt it!

I used old topography maps I had lying around the house because I wanted to use patterned paper. The colours in the maps co-ordinate well with my room, so that was an easy decision! 

Once your cubes are ready just push the bulbs of the strings lights into the small hole in the cube and you're good to go! I am really enjoying how they turned out, so inexpensive yet still so effective. The best part is that when you're bored of them, you can just deinflate them and store them for later use.

I honestly adore them! How great are they for garden parties and the like! 

What do you guys think? And if you did give this project a go, do let me know how it turned out :)

To more origami-ing,

Crafts ǁ Learning new skills

Amateur bamboo mat-weaving attempts

Hello internet! 

I hope everybody is having a lovely Saturday!

A few weekends ago I attended a bamboo crafts workshop organised by INTACH India, where we were introduced to bamboo as a material, both when used in architecture as well as in crafts.

On a sunny winter morning, the small group gathered around the craftsmen demonstrating the process of halving, quartering and then stripping the bamboo stalk, the sections getting smaller and smaller, and the strips getting finer and finer. Everybody watched quietly and keenly, the craftsman's hands moving quickly and expertly. They went on to show us some of the basic weaves used for making bamboo mats and baskets, which we then tried our hands at. Man, was it tough!

It saddens me that bamboo crafts, along with so many other vernacular arts all around the world are slowly dying out, thanks to mass production. It's not just a matter of art, culture and tradition, but also of the intangible qualities that these crafts represent - meticulousness, effort, hard work, patience, attention to detail, teaching by and learning from the use of our hands. 

With our current want of quick fixes, easy solutions and instant gratification, I think we could all benefit from atleast trying to learning something new which does not show immediate results. It may not just benefit you, you may be contributing to society, helping in sustaining and spreading a local craft, or you might just acquire a new skill which you can teach your grandkids!

I personally would absolutely love to start doing origami again and possibly learn the art of Madhubani illustration.

Not inclined towards the arts? Try sticking to your exercise regime! Learn a new language! An instrument! Make an effort to cook at home more often! You never know when you might be able to put your new skill to use.

Until next time, 

DIY ǁ Easy Embroidery Hoop Clock

Hello! 

I can feel a bout of Sunday evening productivity coming on. I present to you, ANOTHER blog post!

Those who know me will understand when I say I am a serial DIYer (and organiser, but that's for another day). There's something so very appealing about personalised, handmade knick-knacks lying around your house. I can imagine years later passing on forgotten crafts to my grandchildren. Hopefully they'll be fascinated. I know I am extremely fascinated by my grandmother's knitting. I'm pretty sure there's already a grandma living inside of me. All I need is a purseful of candy to hand out to children.

Anyway, this activity is perfect for when you have about an hour to spare on a rainy day. I did this one a few months ago.  Difficulty level - Minus 1

Things that you will need:

1 Embroidery hoop in a size of your choice (optional - 2 nos.)

Fabric

A clock mechanism

Cardboard

Paint (optional)

Scissors

X-acto knife

The picture is pretty self explanatory really, but here are the instructions.

1. Stretch a piece of your favourite fabric across an embroidery hoop and tighten the screw. Cut off excess fabric from the edges.
2. I then took two strips of cardboard. Put them in a plus/cross shape and adjust the sizes such that they fit exactly within the diameter of the hoop. The strips should be quite broad in width.
3. Now using your X-acto knife, cut two small slits at the central intersection of your cardboard pieces. Carefully cut the fabric slightly as well.
4. Take your clock mechanism and push it through the hole in the centre. Attach the hands from the other side. And that's it! You're done!
5. You may want to add numbers to your clock, but i preferred it this way. You may also attach a second embroidery hoop behind your first one, to account for the depth of the clock mechanism.

So there you have it, the simplest of DIYs. I chose a delicate and light coloured fabric to go with my green wall, but you can use just about anything - old T-shirts, pillow covers, tea towels,etc. Paint your hoop to colour co-ordinate. In the end, you will be rewarded with a functional yet personal item for your home, bound to be a conversation starter. The fact that it's practically free is just an added bonus.

Any tips or ideas you might have?