Chunnies, duppatas, and saris can be transfered to beautiful coasters
Here is the method to follow:
Cut the chunnies/duppataas/saris (the older ones) into strips about 15 cm. ( 6" ) wide. There is no need to hide raw edges of chunni material. Take three stripes of different colours of chunnies as plait them together closely and evenly, just as hair is plaited. As soon as 1 ft. or more of the plaiting is finished, the sewing together is begun. A rug as is here illustrated in Figure-I is made by stitching the plaits together round and round until they form an oval. The plaits may either sewn flat or edgeways, whichever is preferred. The sewing is done with strong, waxed threads .
When making an oval rug, begin with an long shaped centre, and wound the braid round and round across the c e n t r e, edge to edge, and needle passed through and through in close, invisible stitches. A little practice is required to make the braid lie flat. If too tightly wound it will buckle, but it must not be too loosely done, or the work will look rough.
A dark centre usually looks well with outer rings of light and dark alternately. As the end of each strip of chunni is reached, sandwich the new stripe in between the previous strip about two inches above the end point of the edge. It is just as well if the strips are uneven in length, as then the joins will not come all in one place ; but this, of course, must happen when introducing a fresh colour, and then the join must be neat. When the coaster is large enough, turn in the raw edges at the end of the plait and sew them firmly to the adjoining plaited edge.
This is the easer way to protect your table tops from heat or cold and the unwanted spots too!
Have fun!
