Saturday, February 6, 2010

A Little Sarong Goes a Long Way

It's amazing how far 2 yards/2 meters of fabric can go!  The second most important item in my travel gear is a batik sarong.  My original was a gift when I left Indonesia.  Instead of making it up into a garment, as was my first thought, I discovered rather quickly that it had too many uses to bother with sewing up something else.

My sarong has served as: bed sheet, bath towel, a beach cover-up & beach towel, a casual wraparound skirt for sightseeing.  I wrapped up in it in frigid St. Petersburg along with my lined trench coat.  It has served as a scarf and as a shawl.  I gathered it into a smashing sash over a plain black tunic and slacks.  It also twisted up into an elegant halter top under my suit jacket for dining out when I had an unanticipated invitation to a fine restaurant.

Useful? You bet.  Pick one up next time you see one, and stash it in your carry on tote.  Indonesia and Malaysia are famous for their batiks, and the art has spread to the Caribbean, where a sarong is often called a pareo.

May your road rise to meet you,
Ann

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