How to Wrap a Sari.

Or at least how to wrap a sari like my mother taught me, and not look like a fabric sausage!  ;)

OK, step one, begin the wrap.  Start in the center, and all wraps will be counter-clockwise looking down, so the edge of the sari is "facing" my right side

Wrap the sari around ONCE, tucking in more at the front than the back, to get the length right (it helps those of us who have some booty!)

See, just like there.

At this point, you can figure out how much material you have to play with for pleats, but I just tend to guesstimate.  On this one, I needed about 8.

For the pleats, make sure that the fall of the sari is towards the ground (this is why its called the fall, cause it, um, causes the fall. ;) ).  Start pleating.  As I have a lot of pleats (about 8-10), I group them in groups of 5, with 3 "little" pleats sandwiched between two "large" pleats, like so:

This prevents the whole "fat stomach" look!

More pleats!

Once the pleats are done, bring them in front to close the little gap from when you wrapped the sari:

And tuck them in.  Go grab a diaper pin (one of those big ones with a safety cap on it), and use it to secure the pleats to the waistband.  You will thank me later

Now, to prevent things from falling, take a little bit of the top edge of the sari, post-pleats, and tuck it in to the waistband -- this prevents your pleats looking sloppy

Now, take the remainder of the sari, and pull it around your back, diagonally, so that when it comes up under your right side, you can pull it snug up to your armpit.  Now, use safety pins, liberally, you will thank me when your underpinnings are not on show. ;)

Drape across shoulder, and voilà, sari with no fabric sausage look.