Traditional door hangings were in the olden days made of mango leaves which were considered to be auspicious. During festive occasions, these adorned the door ways of homes. Such traditional door hangings (torans) can be made using felt or velvet to decorate the doorway in your homes.

Glimpse of the Result:

Door hangingFor this you will need:

  1. Felt
  2. Chamki (gold color)
  3. Kundan stones (or rhinestones)
  4. Glue
  5. Scissors
  6. Thread
  7. Metal string

How To make a Toran or Doorway Hanging:

Step 1:

Cut the red color felt cloth into rectangles of the same size. Depending on the length of your doorway, cut out the required number of rectangles.

Step 2:

Draw a mango leaf shaped structure at the back of the felt rectangle and cut it out.

Repeat this for all the pieces.

Step 3:

Cut out leaf shaped pieces from the the green felt cloth.

Cut one green leaf for each red base you’ve made.

Step 4:

Paste the green leaf at the center of the red felt base using fabric glue.

Step 5:

Paste a round flat chamki at the center of the green leaf. The traditional beetel leaf and nut is symbolized here.

Step 6:

Now using small chamkis which have a embossed look, decorate the outline of the green leaf.

Allow it to dry.

Step 7:

Flip the cloth, fold and stitch a small part at the top to provide for inserting a string and to slide the leaves.

Step 8:

You can attach a rhinestone in a mild color if needed.

You can choose to attach small stained mirrors or make some patterns using gold thread instead. I preferred to leave it a little simple.

Step 9:

Insert a long piece of thick thread into the provision we’ve made at the leaves top. Slide each leaf into the thread one by one.

Step 10:

Take a piece of metal string and make a hoop out of it.

Make one more similar hoop.

Step 11:

Now tie the ends of the thread to each hoop, one on each side.

Toran, Door hanging

We will use this to hang the toran.

Such hangings can be made by adding embroidery as well.   You can now give your guests a warmer welcome.