Craft Works : Flower Arrangement /Stringing kachaparam

Vidya24 · Apr 25, 2006

Hi ladies,

I am starting this new thread on Blooms n Petals so that we can discuss abt flowers, floral arrangements and my favourite- flower stringing.

To get this budding thread blooming (okay, no more of this), here is a post from Varloo. The method is from Varloo's mother who is an expert on different methods of stringing flowers and making jadais for hair arrangement. According to her, flowers contain oils that soften hair, hence it is not just beautiful but also healthful to wear flowers on the hair.

Here is the art of making KACHAPARAM. It is an art of stringing flowers that essentially needs three hands. Varloo and her mom have made it possible with two. I tried it and it came out very well, mainly because of VArloo's flawless instructions. It is not easy to transcribe actions into words and Varloo has done it meaningfully.

KACHAPARAM ( from Varloo and her mom)

'Yesterday I bought some nithya kalyani flower and tried the kachaparam. I hope that is the style of strining flowers wereby you get a plaited look of the thread on the back side. You might remember that the Urchavar of the Sree Ananthapadmanabhar usedto be adored with such strung flowers, the thread being green or blue.

Start the usual way, with two flowers each on top and bottom row. Start the second row, bring the thread around the second row bottom and when binding the upper row, include the previous one also. When doing the next, include the 2nd one also. Lke that bind the previous one and go on. You will get a plaited thread on the backside. You can try with some other flower or artificial flowers also to see the effect. I hope I had been helpful.'

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sunkan · Apr 25, 2006

u remind me of my mothers farm....

this thread reminds me of my mother's farm where we both planted quite a different varieties and we being ambal bhakthas all these used to adorn her ...one of them were sampangi and to make a veni of this...u need to take a loop of the required length...sit on the floor and put one end to ur toe and hold the other corner where the length of thread and the knot is there...now insert the sampangi with the stalk on top while holding tight with ur left hand and now throw the thread over and make a knot by bringing the thread from inside the loop of the knot and pull it enough to hold the flower in place...like this take enough flowers to make a comfortable veni....the last knot is done twice to hold in place now remove fromthe toe and tie like a lace of the loop and the thread and cut off the thread...a beautiful veni ready...regards..sunkan

Vidya24 · Apr 25, 2006

Dear Sundari,

Nice to read abt yr father's farm with its flower gardens. When I was young, I loved visiting Bangalore and Madurai cos of all the flowers easily available there.

This veni method sounds attractive and I shall try it out. And post a feedback.

My mom used to loop it on a door handle.

Try Varloo's method also. You get almost the same effect with two hands.

Chitvish · Apr 25, 2006

Hello Vidya !

I love to string by the loop method & it is very easy also. I always do it with the loop on the left toe. In our Madurai house, the garden is vast & when I was young besides jasmine,pink pichi, nithya malli, rama bhanam, krishna banam were all grown. I hope you have seen rama bhanam, krishna banam etc - absolutely stunning ! They will look picturesque if done by the loop method in a contrast colour thread !You made me really nostalgic now !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

purnima_2k · Apr 25, 2006

Kachaparam.

Dear Vidhya,

This is a very interesting thread that you have started. I have never tried my hand on stringing flowers and now i feel why not? If you could share photos -- for every stage of stringing, it would be good - more than words a visual effect always pays off better!

Like MRs CV who has posted the 3 stages of Samosa Making , how to fold etc,seeing that i am sure not only me but all beginners would have been benefitted!

Regards,
Purnima

Kamla · Apr 25, 2006

Good idea..

Dear Purnima,

A picture always speaks volumes than words. It is for nothing that visuals are used extensively in every study programme. So go ahead and post step by step pics of threading flowers. Besides helping everyone to learn the method, it will also please some of us aesthetically

L, Kamla

purnima_2k · Apr 25, 2006

You have got me wrong Kamla!

I dont know anything about stringing flowers, so cannot post any photos-- Vidhya and Mrs CV and others experienced in this field could do that!!

Regards,
Purnima

Vidya24 · Apr 25, 2006

Dear Purnima,

I am terribly sorry, but flower stringing is one art which I love, but it does not love me back. Still, I buy real and paper flowers and string them. If I post photos here, I will get dharma adi.

Recently, I got a book-gift, The Art of Making Leis which is flower stringing in Hawaii. It is so beautiful and the methods and patterns are amazing. I wish I could learn lei making, but it seems an impossible dream.

I have seen my mom /other ladies make kachaparam with loop on toe, handle, teeth etc. Wanted a method of making it with just hands so that it can be adorned on Swamippadams.

Pls bring more methods in this thread. Let it flower!!!!

cheers!
VR

sunitha · Apr 25, 2006

I agree that a photo will do wonders.I learnt how to string flowers the usual way from my friend's mother(who is incidently from Madurai) when I was in 10th std.When I was in Chennai,I used to purposely buy 'udhiri poo'(unstrung flowers) and sit and string them.Knowing my love for flowers,my father always gets me loose flowers and asks me to string them.

The pleasure you get when you see the final product is something that one has to experience inorder to believe.

Vidya,eventhough I have strung flowers earlier,I am not able to understand the kachaparam instructions...I think only photos can help....

Vidya24 · Apr 25, 2006

hi Sunitha,

Photos of stringing- I do wish Varloo or Mrs Chitvish can help out. I can do the stringing, but not good enough to make instruction pics.

regards
Vidya