Featured Craft for the Month

Featured Craft for the Month of March 2007 - Embroidery of India

Embroidery can be very well defined as art of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using needle. Till date hand embroidery is an traditional art form. The beautiful nature, colors of flora and fauna has inspired indian handicrafts to indulge into this traditional embroidery work. Each state in India has a style unique to its tradition. The satin stitch is used in Kashmir. The darn stitch, which produces the 'bagh' and 'phulkari' stitch of Punjab is vibrant like the people of the state. The interlacing The white on white 'chikan' work of Uttar Pradesh is breath-taking and requires a lot of skill. The silk embroidery done in Surat has exquisite patterns. Ancient Egypt, Northern Europe and song Dynasty China are the ancient origins of embroidery.
Ladies in the villages pursued embroidery in their free time. Bed sheets, pillows, cushion covers, wall hagings are fine examples of that. But one did not know that this leisure time activity will emerged full fledged profession one day. Today embroidery in each state reflects its own traditions and lifestyle.

Embroidery is done using variety of stiches such as stitch of Kantha or the satin, Kashmiri Kashidakari. The famous chikankari of Lucknow resembles the fine marble carvings of moughal era and phulkari is known for its florals. The stiches of Katiawari and Sindhi embroidery depicts the beauty of the desert landscape.

We can easily classified embroidery into free embroidery and counted thread embroidery according to its use of the foundation fabric.

In Free Embroidery, designs are applied without regard to the weave of the underlying fabric. For eg: Crewel and Chinese embroidery.
In Counted thread embroidery, patterns are created by making stitches over a pre-determined number of threads in the foundation fabric.

A second division classifies embroidery according to whether the design is stitched on top of or through the foundation fabric:

In Surface embroidery patterns are worked on top of the foundation fabric using decorative stitches and laid threads.
In Canavs work, threads are stitched through a fabric mesh to create a dense pattern that completely covers the foundation fabric. There are printed and hand painted canvases where the painted or printed image is meant to serve as a color guide. Stitches are of the stitcher's choosing.

Embroidery of india includes varities of embroidery styles.
The most tedoius form of indian embroidery is ancient Persian embroidery Zardosi which is derived rom persain word Zar meaining gold and Dozi meaning embroidery. This basic form of embroidery uses metal thread instead of silk or rayon. Mugals raised this embroidery to the peak but was decline during reign of Aurangzeb but revived after independence in Hyderabad and lucknow. Now the wmbroidery is back in boom and is must for any indain wedding trousseau.
Ari work is another very famed form of embroidery of India. This This work is done by stretching the fabric on a frame and creating the stiches from a long a needle. The needle also carries sequins, beads, and other embelishments to decorate the pattern.
Eco friendly art form developed in different states of India is Kasooti. In Rajasthan, dark colored silver and gold threads are used in making Kasooti on everyday clothes as well as for bridal dresses. Saris are well suited for Kasooti work.
If we talk about Chikankari embroidery, Similar to linen embroidery it is worked usually in white cotton or on a white base of muslin. Lucknow in Utttar Pradesh and Gaya in Bihar are popular centers of Chikan. ‘Jali’ is one of the specialties of Chikan in which the ffect of netting is produced by making holes in the fabric and tightening the ends to give the cloth the appearance of a net.
The Kantha embroidery of West Bengal utilizes waste material. Pieces of cloth are sewn with simple running stitches, which run in several directions to form various motifs. How can we forget extensive Gujarati mirror embroidery, originated in Persia? This mirror embroidery simply the enhance the beauty of pattern. It is extensively used in fabrics, for eyes of birds and center of flowers. The mirror embroidery is also very well done in Rajasthan and Orissa.

The traditional Punjabi embroidery art is phulkari. The pulkari word means growing flowers. This embroidery form includes only floral motifs in bright colors.

The phulkari with floral patterns is called Bagh that means garden. It is primarily used on the odhanies and dupattas. It is considered auspecious for the bride and for the new born. It is worn on ceremonies. Phulkari for some time now is being used in home furnishings specially wall hangings, sofa throws and other soft furnishings.

The Indian craftsmen have exercised innovation to ensure never seen before products. They have elegantly shown us their talent in form of embroidered shirts, T-shirts, jeans, scarves, kaftans etc. Fascinating home furnishings items that adorns the interiors are produced by the craftsmen not only for Indian markets but for abroad as well as. Integrating high quality fabrics, beads, tassels Indian handicrafts have presented to us embroidered quilts, towels, linen, embroidered aprons, pillows and many more. Craftsmen have shown their creativity in filed of embroidered jewellery too. Raw materials like metal, wood, shells and corals, born and horns, jute fibres, lac, glass etc are used in varied combinations to produce items like bracelets, necklaces, bangles, earrings, bangles, belts, pendants and many more. With Indian fashion industry spreading its wings globally the demand of embroidered jewelry has also caught up great pace. It is increasingly being valued as an item with highest export potential.

Official site of the Office of the Development Commissioner Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles,Government of India.