Simple Wall Hangings Using a Cooker Gasket

   

Gasket Art - She knows Her Mind

 Traditional Craft

Gasket decoration is a traditional craft of the south. It is particularly famous among the Badagas of Nilgiris. There are a lot of techniques involved in this craft. You can knit, stitch or paste according to your requirements. Given here is the old method using gasket and fish wire. This beautiful wall hanging was used to adorn the drawing rooms. Nowadays this craft is not so common. Also there are a lot of variations to the original craft. This is easy to understand and to try. The raw materials needed for the craft are readily available. Old and unwanted cooker gaskets are used for this.

The badagas are the natives of the Nilgiri Hills. Since they hail from a hill station, they are very good at making sweaters and shawls. They make different kinds of handicrafts from glass, wool, wood, fish wire and gasket. They are known to make their own crafts for interior decoration. It is hard to believe that they actually can make it from such simple things. For instance from fish wire they can make the structures of fruits, vegetables, birds, show pieces and baskets. Their houses are very colorful and are mostly made of handmade items. They also knit scarves and crochets.

Images: Indusladies

How to make the wall hanging

The pressure cooker gasket is a rubber ring that fits into the lid of the cooker. This regulates the pressure while cooking. But sometimes due to wear and tear the gasket does not do the required function. These gaskets cannot be used for cooking anymore. Such items are used to create beautiful wall hangings.

Time required: 1 hour

Difficulty: easy

Materials:

·         Cooker Gasket

·         Fish wire

·         Match Sticks

·         Velvet paper

·         Thermocol Sheet

·         Decorative Mirrors

·         Your favorite picture

Tools:

·         Cello tape

·         Scissors

Instructions:

1. Trace the inner outline of the gasket on a thermocol sheet. Now with the same radius cut the velvet paper.

2. Stick the velvet paper on the thermocol sheet and keep it within the gasket.

3. Place a matchstick on the gasket. Now take the fish wire and secure one end on the gasket with a cello tape.

4. Twist it around the match stick in the form of an '8’. Now place the next match stick and twist the fish wire around it in the previous pattern.

5. Continue doing it till you cover the entire circle and reach the point where you started. Cut the fish wire and paste it to the gasket using a cello tape. Now you get a beautiful twisted border along the gasket's outline.

6. You can choose your own design for the central portion using beads, chamkis or mirrors as shown.

7. Stick your favorite picture or your family photo on the velvet cloth in the center using glue.

8. Tie a loop from the thermocol and your wall hanging is ready to decorate your drawing room.

Protect Your Craft

When you make such a wall hanging it might seem as if the luster of the product is reduced after few months due to dust accumulation.Cover it well with a transparent cover to preserve it. There are a lot of products available in the market specially for these purposes.

Crochet Inspired Gasket

Given here is a craft for those who love crochets. You can knit any design of your choice.

Material needed:

Woollen threads

Needles

Small pins

A small toy

Ribbons

Paper

Method:

Cover the gasket with a shiny or bright color paper.

You can make the paper rose by tracing and cutting the shape of ten petals and then joining them together.

You have to cut out the leaves too. In case you are finding this part difficult, you can purchase small paper roses from the shop.

Measure the gasket and knit a beautiful design using the woollen threads accordingly. It is best to make the design out of different colors.

Now stretch the design outside the gasket (the gasket should be within the design) and start pinning at equal distances using small colored pins. (The pins should be able to hold the design in place)

Now stick the ribbons and small toys on it along the circumference. On the ribbon stick these paper roses.For a bright colored ribbon choose a light colored paper rose.

You can also use buttons for an added effect.

Spiritual Gasket

Do the outer layer as shown previously. Within the inner space, cut your favorite picture according to the circle and stick it on a cardboard. You ca also try out by painting something on your own. It would be a memorable gift to someone else.

Gasket with the family drawing of Lord Shiva.

Themed Gasket

Here is another simple craft idea with a gasket for those who find this twisting with fish wire difficult.This is a very straight forward type of craft.

Materials needed:

Cloth or paper flowers

Plastic grass

Small bird toys

Glue

Method:

Trace the outline of a flower in a paper and cut it. In the same method trace twenty flowers.

Now paint the flowers in a plain or double color and allow it to dry.

Clean the gasket well before using. Otherwise it might retain some dirt in the groove.

Now paste the flowers one by one on the border of the gasket.

Buy some plastic grass and stick it in the lower end. It is available in all aquarium shops.

Finally place the birds in the appropriate position and stick the toys with glue.

You can come up with your own theme and decorate the gasket accordingly.

Gasket with Hanging

If you do not want a clustered central portion for your wall hanging, then here is an alternate method.

You can use the same fish wire to make small shapes like fish or bird and hang it in the center. You can get small toys or flowers and use it too.

Why spend money on wall hangings when you can creatively come up with these. These are brilliant gift ideas too. What do you think of them? Have you heard or tried these types of hangings? Let us know!