Wood Working Handicraft                  

Woodworking is the process of building, making or carving something using wood.

History 

Along with stone, mud and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked by early humans. Microwear analysis of the Mousterian stone tools used by the Neanderthals show that many were used to work wood. The development of civilization was closely tied to the development of increasingly greater degrees of skill in working these materials.
Woodworking shop in Germany in 1568, the worker in front is using a bow saw, the one in the background is planing

Among early finds of wooden tools are the worked sticks from Kalambo Falls, Clacton-on-Sea and Lehringen. The spears from Schöningen (Germany) provide some of the first examples of wooden hunting gear. Flint tools were used for carving. Since Neolithic times, carved wooden vessels are known, for example, from the Linear Pottery culture wells at Kückhofen and Eythra. Examples of Bronze Age wood-carving include tree trunks worked into coffins from northern Germany and Denmark and wooden folding-chairs. The site of Fellbach-Schmieden in Germany has provided fine examples of wooden animal statues from the Iron Age. Wooden idols from the La Tène period are known from a sanctuary at the source of the Seine in France.                                                    

                                                                                                            
Two ancient civilizations that used woodworking were the Egyptians and the Chinese. Woodworking is depicted in many ancient Egyptian drawings, and a considerable amount of ancient Egyptian furniture (such as stools, chairs, tables, beds, chests) has been preserved in tombs. As well, the inner coffins found in the tombs were also made of wood. The metal used by the Egyptians for woodworking tools was originally copper and eventually, after 2000 BC bronze as ironworking was unknown until much later. Commonly used woodworking tools included axes, adzes, chisels, pull saws, and bow drills. Mortise and tenon joints are attested from the earliest Predynastic period. These joints were strengthened using pegs, dowels and leather or cord lashings. Animal glue came to be used only in the New Kingdom period. Ancient Egyptians invented the art of veneering and used varnishes for finishing, though the composition of these varnishes is unknown. Although different native acacias were used, as was the wood from the local sycamore and tamarisk trees, deforestation in the Nile valley resulted in the need for the importation of wood, notably cedar, but also Aleppo pine, boxwood and oak, starting from the Second Dynasty.

                                                                                                            
Damascene woodworkers carving wood for hookahs, 19th century.

The progenitors of Chinese woodworking are considered to be Lu Ban  and his wife Lady Yun, from the Spring and Autumn Period. Lu Ban is said to have brought the plane, chalk-line, and other tools to China. His teachings are supposedly left behind in the book Lu Ban Jing  although it was written some 1500 years after his death. This book is filled largely with descriptions of dimensions for use in building various items such as flower pots, tables, altars, etc., and also contains extensive instructions concerning Feng Shui. It mentions almost nothing of the intricate glue-less and nail-less joinery for which Chinese furniture was so famous.

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Filigree Jewelry Jaipur

Indian Names: Tarkashi 

Indian filigree jewelry is a very unique style of jewelry. Antique filigree work was done many centuries back in India and was popularly known as "Tarkashi". The filigree jewelry is mainly done on silver. There is a lot of technicality and precision involved in filigree work. It requires a great amount of patience and an eye for minute details. Filigree craftsmen are specially trained for this kind of work on jewelry. Filigree work was done in many parts of the world like Egypt, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, etc.

Filigree work is done on pure silver and has many technical stages. First, pure silver is made into very fine wires by passing it through a wire drawing machine. Before technology came into scene, this was done by hammering silver on an anvil made of iron or steel. After this, the two thinnest wires are heated and wound around a rotating wheel machine known as "Charkha" and are flattened again to make it as a single wire. This wire is then bent in different ways to give it many different forms and shapes                     
                                               
Different parts and shapes are made and are then joined together to make one piece of jewelry or Tarkashi item. Filigree is used in not just jewelry but also for making decorative pieces like boxes, trays, bowls, spoons, vases with flowers, purses, showpieces, plates, tumblers, etc. The filigree jewelry is popular in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh in India. The filigree work in India is highly inspired from the one that was done in Greece in ancient times and has maintained and modified that style beautifully.

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Engraved Jewelry Jaipur

Indian Names: Jadau work, Jadtar                      
                                                                     

The traditional art of the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, the engraved jewelry is a very unique jewellery style. Also known by the names of "Jadau" and "Jadtar", this form of jewelry was introduced in India by the Mughals. The craftsmen of India picked up this art and made it popular and famous. Today, it is a thriving industry which attracts buyers from all over the world. Engraved jewellery is considered to be a traditional jewelry of India and is used in many traditional and auspicious occasions like marriages and festival celebrations.

The Jadau jewelry is basically jewelry in which precious and semi precious stones, gems, crystals and beads are embedded. The jewelry on which the stones and gems are to be set is melted a bit. When the gold becomes pliable, the stones are set on it with great precision and artistry. After that, it is allowed to cool down and the stones, gems, etc. get fixed on it without any adhesive or carvings. These days, Jadau is done on not just jewelry but also jewelry boxes and delicate showpieces.                   
 

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Waistband Jewellery Jaipur

Indian Names: Kamarband, Tagdi                                  

One of the most unique jewelry in India is the waistband. Popularly known by the names of "Kamarband" or "Tagdi", the Indian waistband is a beautiful piece of ornament that is worn around the waist and it rests delicately just below the waistline. An intricately designed Kamarband looks fabulous on a slim woman and accentuates her figure. Though essentially used in a wedding or a dance program, waistbands have evolved with time and still exist in Indian urban colonies.

The style of the waistband differs from place to place and essentially from north to south. In north, the waistband is like a chain or layers of chains connected at the ends and decorated with small pendants or gems. The material can be gold, silver or oxidized metal. In the south, the waistband is more or less like a flexible belt made of gold or silver with beautiful engravings. The waistband can be worn with a Sari or a Lehenga (ethnic Indian wear). During auspicious occasions or traditional gatherings, teaming ethnic Indian clothes with a sleek waistband will make you the attention grabber!                    

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Toe Ring Jewellery Jaipur       

Indian Names - Bichua, Bichia 

Toe rings are traditional Indian jewelry that is worn in the toes by Indian women. Though usually married women wear toe rings, these days even young girls who are unmarried wear toe rings as fashion accessories. Popularly known as "Bichua", toe rings come in a variety of designs and styles. Toe rings are more or less similar to finger rings. The only difference is that toe rings have a little gap in order to allow the ring to easily slip over the toe.

These days toe rings come in a variety of designs, colors and shapes to cater to the changing tastes of women. A traditional toe ring is essentially made of silver and sometimes gold. These days, we find toe rings in copper, plastic and other different materials. Some are inlaid with beautiful gems and stones, while others are carved exquisitely. In plastic, one can find toe rings in a variety of colors and designs with bold and funky embellishments.

Toe rings make an ideal gift to be given to a newly wed bride. You can always choose a pair of toe rings in silver that have a cute little stone on it. You can also go for the ones that are beautifully designed and carved. You can also gift someone gold toe rings if your budget allows you to. Toe rings are now considered to be a very popular fashion accessory and many college going girls wear toe rings as funky jewelry. However, they have not lost their importance in the Indian tradition and will continue to be one of the main jewellery items for a bride.
                                                            
A toe ring is a ring made out of various metals and non-metals worn on any of the toes. The second toe of either foot is where they are worn most commonly. This is due to the fact that proportionately it's the longest toe and thus the easiest toe to put a ring on and stay without being connected to anything else. In most western countries they are a relatively new fashion accessory, and typically have no symbolic meaning. They are usually worn with barefoot sandals, anklets, bare feet or flip flops.

Like finger rings, toe rings come in many shapes and forms, from intricately designed flowers embedded with jewels to simple bands. Fitted toe rings are rings that are one size, whereas adjustable toe rings have a gap at the bottom so they can be easily made to fit snugly. Source: Toe Rings at Qwikgift.com

Toe rings in India (bichiya)


Wearing of toe rings is practiced in India. It is worn as a symbol of the married state by Hindu women and is called bichiya in Hindi, jodavi in Marathi, Mettelu in Telugu, Metti in Tamil), Kaalungura in Kannada. They are usually made of silver and worn in pairs  on the second toe of both feet. Traditionally they are quite ornate, though more contemporary designs are now being developed to cater to the modern bride. Some 'bichiya sets' may have pairs for four of the five toes, excluding the little pinky. 'Bichiyas' may not be made of gold, as gold holds a 'respected' status and may not be worn below the waist by Hindus, but this is not followed very strictly and toe rings made of gold and diamonds are commonly seen.

                                                           
In the 19th century mirror rings  were sometimes worn on the great toe assumed to be for decorative purposes. Traditionally a large ring was worn on the great toe of the left foot to indicate a married status. Some men frequently wore a ring on the big toe for curative purposes or to augment their masculine vigor. These rings were seldom closed circles but open hoops so that they could easily be removed.

Toe rings in USA

Toe rings were introduced to the United States by Marjorie Borell who, after returning from India began manufacturing and selling them in New York in 1973. Her first retail outlet was Fiorucci, a trendy fashion retailer located on 59th Street in New York. The "Original Toe Ring Boutique" sold toe rings in silver, gold and with diamonds. She eventually sold them in Bloomingdale's and many other retail outlets but due to the fact that her designs could not be patented, she moved on to other ventures but retains the title of Toe Ring Lady to this day.                          

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Indian Pendants Jewellery                    

Pendants An elegant yet simple piece of jewelry is definitely the pendant. Also gaining momentum as a fashion jewellery and accessory, pendants can be worn with a simple thin chain, a necklace or even earrings and watches. Indian pendants come in a variety of styles and designs. Since India believes in spirituality, you will find a lot of such pendants that are worn due to spiritual reasons. Zodiac sign pendants, numerology pendants, Rudraksh pendants, birthstone pendants, etc. are a hot favorite among Indians.

Pendants have been used as jewelry since a long time. Even in tribal cultures and ancient times, one finds that crude pendants like unique looking stones, bones, were used as adornment by >both men and women. As time passed by, they were refined and gemstones with exquisite carvings were used as pendants. With the advent of various religious beliefs, pendants that advocated those beliefs came into vogue like the symbol of Om, the symbol of Surya, the Cross of Christians, the Swastika, etc. These days these symbols are still in vogue and have gained importance in urban cities as well as rural areas.                      

A pendant can be the perfect gift to someone who is close to you. You can order a name pendant wherein the name of the person is carved in gold or silver and is made as a small pendant. You can give a simple pendant like a cute star or heart shape in gold, silver or platinum. Pendants are also available as gemstones and semi precious stones. Giving someone a solitaire pendant will surely brighten up that person's day! Pendants that are inlaid with very small stones look ravishing and are the best choice for a chain that is short and rests at the base of the throat.

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Bangles Jewellery Jaipur

Bangles Jewellery

Bangles  are traditional ornaments worn mostly by South Asian women in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is tradition that the bride will try to wear as many small glass bangles as possible at her wedding and the honeymoon will end when the last bangle breaks. Bangles also have a very traditional value in Hinduism and it is considered inauspicious to be bare armed for a married woman. Toddler to older woman could wear bangles based on the type of bangles. Bangles made of gold or silver are preferred for toddlers.

Some men wear a single bangle on the arm or wrist called kada or kara. In Sikhism, The father of a Sikh bride will give the groom a gold ring, a kara (steel or iron bangle), and a mohra. Chooda is a kind of bangle that is worn by Punjabi women on her wedding day. It is a set of white and red bangles with stone work. According to tradition, a woman is not supposed to buy the bangles she will wear. Hyderabad, Pakistan, is the world's largest producer of Bangles. While Moradabad is India's largest producer of bangles.

A standard bangle is used as an adornment. A new special type of bangle doubles as a clip for hanging items such as a handbag.

History            

Pair of bangles, about 1880, India V&A Museum no. IS.1889&A-1883

Bangles—made from sea shell, copper, bronze, gold, agate, chalcedony etc.—have been excavated from multiple archaeological sites throughout India.A figurine of a dancing girl—wearing bangles on her left arm— has been excavated from Mohenjo-daro (2600 BC).

Other early examples of bangles in India include copper samples from the excavations at Mahurjhari—soon followed by the decorated bangles belonging to the Mauryan empire (322–185 BCE), and the gold bangle samples from the historic site of Taxila (6th century BCE). Decorated shell bangles have also been excavated from multiple Mauryan sites. Other features included copper rivets and gold-leaf inlay in some cases.

Design                 

Bangles are circular in shape, and, unlike bracelets, are not flexible. The word is derived from Hindi bungri (glass).They are made of numerous precious as well as non-precious materials such as gold, silver, platinum, glass, wood, ferrous metals, plastic, etc. Bangles made from sea shell, which are white colour, are worn by married Bengali and Oriya Hindu women. A Special type of Bangle are worn by women and girls, especially in Bengal area commonly known as "Bengali Bangle", which is used as a substitute of costly Gold bangle, and is produced by fixing a thin Gold strip (weight varies between 1 to 3 gms.) is thermo-mechanically fused onto a bronze bangle, followed by manual crafting on that fused Gold strip.

Bangles are part of traditional Indian jewellery. They are usually worn in pairs by women, one or more on each arm. Most Indian women prefer wearing either gold or glass bangles or combination of both. Inexpensive bangles made from plastic are slowly replacing those made by glass, but the ones made of glass are still preferred at traditional occasions such as marriages and on festivals.

The designs range from simple to intricate handmade designs, often studded with precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, gems and pearls. Sets of expensive bangles made of gold and silver make a jingling sound. The imitation jewellery, tends to make a tinny sound when jingled.

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