Textiles: Salvar Kamiiz design

[Amala]

Namaste,

I wear almost exclusively salvar kamiiz (aka salwar/shalwar kameez). (When it's freezing cold here, sometimes I wear jeans with a kamiiz.) I want to create my own. Does anyone here make them? Or can anyone suggest good sites for learning how? Maybe some textile resources for adding traditional prints, embroidery or appliques?

The clothing is so versatile - in cold and hot weather. It's more hygenic, too. (Keeps one dry in places that should not remain sweaty.) And it dries quickly, so one can come home at noon, change, wash and hang to dry and it will be ready in an hour or so. Ingenious! ...and so pretty too.

[Arjuni]

Namasté, Amala,

I too am a fan of salwar-kameez; the combination of tunic, pants, and scarf is such a wonderful blend of utility and graceful femininity!

The Folkwear site does offer patterns for various kinds of clothing; might the India pattern on this page (http://www.folkwear.com/asian.html) help?

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[Amala]

Namasté, Amala,

I too am a fan of salwar-kameez; the combination of tunic, pants, and scarf is such a wonderful blend of utility and graceful femininity!

The Folkwear site does offer patterns for various kinds of clothing; might the India pattern on this page (http://www.folkwear.com/asian.html) help?

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Namaste Indraneela,

Thank you for responding. I have seen that site. I might use that pattern, though it's not exactly the style I prefer. I like the old-fashioned, baggy salvar.

I just found these for the pants:
http://www.feoragdubh.eastkingdom.org/Patterns/salwar.gif
http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/Costume/salvar.jpg

They are perfect for asanas and meditation as well as hygenic, and if so inclined, traditional designs or modern ones can be applied. Where I am, it's hard to find simple ones. They're all for parties. I was hoping not to have to disassemble one of the ones I now have to use as a pattern, but I may have to. Also, suggestions for simple decoration would be nice - maybe a s'loka as a border? Or maybe people know how to find a teacher?

All the best,
Amala