Rakhi is the physical symbol of the emotions involved with the festival. The emotions of love, affection and care. It is the sentiments that matter on this day and what can be a better expression of the sisterly love than a self made rakhi.

1. Rakhi is generally a decorated silk thread. It may be a simple thread or it may be decorated with beads or designer motifs, religious symbols or even studded with jewels. Here are a few tip on how you can create your own rakhi.

Material required
1. Silk threads-multi-coloured
2. Cotton thread
3. Beads, sequins
4. Scissors
5. Glue
Take a bunch of silk threads, multicolored if you want a colorful rakhi. Red and yellow are considered auspicious colors. You can also use a strand or two of golden thread. The threads should be around 30" long. Fold the length of the thread bunch to half. Tie a tight knot at one fourth of the length using the cotton thread. Cut the loops of the folded thread and fluff the open ends with a hard brush.

Divide the longer part of the thread into two halves and plat them in desired way. Tie the ends with the cotton thread and fluff the open ends. These two strands will be used for the tying.

Decorate the upper part with sequins, beads or religious motifs. If you are using multicolored threads arranged in some specific way, cut them short to a suitable length not more than ½".

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2. These days in vogue are rakhis made of kalava or moli (the read thread used for tying on wrist during a religious event). These are more suitable for those who have to keep the rakhi tied for a longer time, as in some faiths when it is removed after three days or it is removed on the Dussehra which falls in October.

Materials required
1. A Moli or Kalava
2. Cotton Thread
3. Scissors
4. Glue
5. Religious Symbol/ Rudraksh
6. Tulsi/ Sandalwood Beads or Tiny Shells

Take a 50" long thread and fold it in the middle. Plat the thread in the desired manner. Tie the cotton thread leaving some space at the ends. Remove all the loops from the ends. Stick the religious symbol or rudraksh in the middle and if you want decorate the rest of the length of the rakhi with beads or tiny shells. You can stick them or even stitch them on the braided thread.

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3. Material required
1. Strands of silk threads-2/3
2. A pair of scissors
3. Cotton thread to tie knots
4. Beads, sitaras, golden threads and sponge to decorate
5. Glue
A toothbrush with hard bristles.

Method:
Take 20-24 inches long silk thread strands in a bunch. If you want to make multi coloured rakhis take silk threads of different colours.



Tie a tight knot with a cotton thread on the one-fourth part of the silken thread bunch. The one-fourth part will be made into a rakhi while the three-fourth will be the string to tie around the wrist.



Now make sure the heads of the silk threads of the one-fourth part of the bunch do not remain in loops, in case they are, cut them with a pair of scissors.



Once they are independent of loops, with a toothbrush rub hard on these threads and brush them with strong strokes by holding tight on the knot. With repeated strokes the silk threads turns fluffy and soft.



To make the string, divide the three-fourth part of the silk thread in two equal parts and plait them separately. At the end tie a knot and brush the end again.


Once this is done decorate it with beads or sitaras. Stick them with glue. You can purchase sponge of a suitable colour, cut it into a star shape, decorate it with beads or sitaras. Golden threads can be entwined used for decoration. And then stick it with glue.

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4. Rakhi making idea from Dhananjaya

Material required
1. Gold or Silver threads - 5 or 6
2. Beads (if silver you will need gold and if gold you will need gold colour beeds) - 20 or 30
3. An old locket (any colour) - 1

Knot the thread uniquely. Put the beads in the threads. Put a locket in the middle of the beads. Then at last tie both the ends.
Your fabulous rakhi for raksha bandhan is ready!

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5. Rakhi making idea from ISSACK RAJAN

When making rakhi make an empty frame in the round shape so that the girl can put her photo in the frame, for whom the rakhi is mentioned.

This will give a good expression of good relation of sister and brother.

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6. Rakhi making idea from Suchitra Goenka

Instead of making the base of the Rakhi in the traditional way (resham),one can use varied fancy silk or net, by doing running stitch on one side of a rectangular piece. By stretching the thread one can get a round base which looks trendy as well as different. To make it look nicer one can add layers of the same in different colours.

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7. Teddy Rakhi making idea from Vinnie Mathur

Materials Required
• Fevicol
• Scissors
• Old cloth from dupatta or T-shirt
• Mummy’s bindis
• Cotton
• Any colour ribbon
• Sewing thread and needle
• Sparkles

Method for making Teddy Face -
Take a piece of an old t-shirt and fill it with cotton. Fold it in a round shape.
Stick black beads for eyes and a red bindi for lips.

Method for making the Body -

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8. Gold & Silver Coin Rakhi making idea from Supriya Pankaj

Method

9. Computer Rakhi making idea from Jyoti Gupta

A. Method for making the Monitor:
1. Cutout the two narrow sides of matchbox.
2. Now stick the two remaining broader sides with glue.
3. Cover them with grey paper& write WINDOWS on it in capitals.
4. Give it a bright border with coloured tape.
5. Cover with transparent plastic sheet.

B. Method for making the Keyboard:
1. Take narrow sides of matchbox cover left and cover it with fluorescent colour paper.
2. Draw the keys with a sketch pen.

C. Method for making the Mouse:
1. Take the peel of pistachio nut.
2. Draw the keys of mouse with painting colours.

D. Assembling:
1. Take a red colour ribbon.
2. Paste the keyboard on ribbon & monitor on back of keyboard.
3. Now join the mouse with a thick thread from back of keyboard.
4. Glue the mouse to the ribbon.

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10. God Rakhi making idea from Shivani Jain

Materials Required
1. Colored thread
2. Few golden beads
3. Small sized buttons
4. Small picture of Goddess or religious symbol

Method for making Rakhi:
Take a colored thread and tie about 5 golden beads and a small button after it. Repeat this along the entire length of the thread. Paste any religious picture or symbol on the button in the middle of the thread. Your home made rakhi is ready.

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11. Durable Rakhi making idea from Manjula PV

Materials Required
1. Colored thread
2. Rudraksha or Tulasi beads
3. Two laces / A string of beads
4. Hook to tie

Method for making Rakhi:
Take a thread make a circle of rudraksha or tulasi beads.To the circle of beads attach two laces / a string of beads and hook to tie. The rakhi made like this will be durable and is spiritually good for brothers.

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11. Biscuit and Chocolate Rakhi Dipti

Materials Required
1. A Marie Gold Biscuit
2. Two Cherries
3. Two Gems Chocolate
4. A Satin Thread

Method for making Rakhi:
Take a marie gold biscuit. Paste two cherries at the place of ears. Two gems chocolate having red color at the place of eyes and nose. Paste a chocolate at the place of tie. Paste a satin thread behind the biscuit.

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12. Rakhi making idea from Saumya Srivastava

Materials Required
1. Thread 30m long
2. Resham ka gola
3. Decorative items like sitara,beads aur whatever you want to decorate the rakhi

Method for making Rakhi:
Make plaits of the thread then place a resham ka gola and then decorate it with beads,sitaras and with other items.

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13. Rakhi making idea from Saumya Srivastava

Materials Required
1. Silk threads-multi-coloured
2. Cotton Threads
3. Beads, sequins
4. Scissors
5. Glue

Method for making Rakhi:
Take a bunch of silk threads, multicolored if you want a colorful rakhi. Red and yellow are considered auspicious colors. You can also use a strand or two of golden thread. The threads should be around 30" long. Fold the length of the thread bunch to half. Tie a tight knot at one fourth of the length using the cotton thread. Cut the loops of the folded thread and fluff the open ends with a hard brush.

Divide the longer part of the thread into two halves and plat them in desired way. Tie the ends with the cotton thread and fluff the open ends. These two strands will be used for the tying.

Decorate the upper part with sequins, beads or religious motifs. If you are using multicolored threads arranged in some specific way, cut them short to a suitable length not more than ½".

Send your ideas of making Rakhi