New Delhi News, 11 Dec 2019 : Dastkar has been working closely with working with over 1 lakh artisans every year; working with over 750 crafts groups across 25 India States. Dastkar is now prepared to launch their Winter Mela from 12th December, 2019 onwards. The mela will be representing some of the most warm and vibrant Indian Crafts, tussar silk and mashru weaves, kullu and kinnauri shawls, ikat weaves, ajrakh and bandhani, jamdani and banarasi brocades, hand-block printed and patchwork quilts, knitted sweaters, capes, jackets, gloves and socks, carpets, wool and cotton dhurries. Safe foods like fruit preserves, spices, herbs, tea, coffee, honey and more!
This years Mela will be focusing on some exclusive works like Felting, willow basketry: Felting is the art of making products with many layers of wool flattened over each other. After a layer is spread it is sprinkled with water and pressed with a tool. Plain felted products are usually embroidered with colourful ari embroidery. In a nutshell, it’s the process of transforming wool into 3D objects using a barbed needle. When you felt wool, you’re agitating the fibers so they bond together, creating a solid fabric. Needle felting mimics that process, but instead of agitating the wool with hot water, you’re doing it with an extra-sharp needle. On 14th and 15th of December there will be felting workshops organised at Dastkar.
Willow Basketry can be made with any type of pliable reed, grass, vine or branch, but willow is a popular choice because it creates such a sturdy basket when it dries. Willow is a wonder material that is at once flexible, lightweight, strong, endlessly renewable and easy to cultivate. Watch the artisan dexterously transform the willow into baskets of different shapes and sizes.
With the focus on recycling and reusing, Dastkar – Winter Mela will also be featuring products made from recycled goods, bags, jewellery, accessories, lifestyle items, decor etc. The bazaar combines the colours, skills and motifs of more than 80 craft groups and craft and natural products entrepreneurs from various states across India, adapted to suit contemporary lifestyles and tastes: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Haryana, Delhi, and Afghanistan. This will be a unique opportunity for customers to meet the faces behind the creations, and appreciate the lives and experiences behind their work.
A special feature of a wide and vivid selection of Kutch shawls and stoles by expert weavers from the Vankar community. Authentic Pashmina and Kani Shawls, in both traditional and innovative contemporary designs and a colourful variety of Ari, Tilla and Sozni embroideries from Kashmir.
A special feature of a wide and vivid selection of Kutch shawls and stoles by expert weavers from the Vankar community will be available at the Bazaar. These are largely woven with Kachchi motifs in Bhujodi Village of Kutch. Kachchhi weavers belong to Marwada and Maheswari communities.
Another speciality that will be easily available at the Bazaar will be the Authentic Pashmina and Kani Shawls, in both traditional and innovative contemporary designs and a colourful variety of Ari, Tilla and Sozni embroideries from Kashmir.
Visitors at the bazaar can also relish unique and delicious food and beverages at the traditional multi-cuisine food court. There is a special selection of Teas available at the venue. As winter is setting in, the various selection of flavoured teas will be a delight and apt while going through the different handicrafts from different parts of India.
Towards the end of the exhibition, on 21st and 22nd December, Carpet Weaving workshops will be conducted by weavers from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh.
