About Us

Chikan work from India is known all over the world. The English translation for Chikan is embroidery and it is available in popularly in Lucknow, India. It is one of the best designs and can be implemented on Kurtis, dresses, and sarees. The art of making a chikan design is called chikankari and there are special people to conduct the task. The chikan designers are well-known around the world and they have a unique talent to make the design. All the design workers have different styles and their work can look different even with the same patterns and designs. However, only the talented people from the area will be able to complete the design. The basic art is carried in the genes of the person.

Origin of Chikan work

The tale of the origin of the Chikan work are quite old and they date back to 3^rd century. The original art developed by Megasthenes did not contain any color and was just white work on white color. The patterns were essentially in the form of flowers and they were well-known as flowered muslins. The material of the cloth was soft and it comprised of a lot of designs that were attractive and beautiful.

Many people believe that the original work was derived from the Shiraz, who came to India as Persians in Mughal court. The latest tale includes the use of art to remove hunger and thirst. A traveler in search of water was taught the art as a return in the favor of water. Also, Noor Jahan and his wife were well-known for the art and its popularity. Increase in the popularity of the art was because of the fact that the people will not have to beg for food. They would be able to sell their art and achieve the desired results.

Chikan Technique

Chikankari is the work of making delicate embroidery with hand on the cloth. The delicate patterns of the work includes some flowers and other patterns. It can be performed on different cloth material such as silk, chiffon, muslin or net. The work is carried with white thread which are made of silk. But these days, the workers are also using some pastel colored threads for the work. According to the fashion demand, there are many up gradations in the original chikan work and these days it is also available in various colors. The origin of the chikan industry is in Lucknow and so it is often called Lucknawi Chikan.

The work can be done only on the material that are soft. The softness is required because the work is carried with needles and it needs to get into the cloth. There are different patterns adapted by the art in the recent age such as sequin, Badla, Kamdani, bead and mirror work. However, each patterns requires a lot of time and effort. The requirement of the time is because of the fact that the work is carried out with hands. However, there is a fixed procedure to carry out the chikan work and it is described below.

Procedure

Cutting: It is the first step as bulk cutting can help in using all the material. People often cut the material at a stretch so that the finishing is proper.

Block Printing: The chikan designs needs to be imprinted on the cloth to get the precision. So, the final cut outs are block printed with the desired designs so that the person can get the do the needle work easily.

Needle work: The chikan needle work also comprises of different patterns and use of thread. Some designs require smaller threads and some require thicker ones. So, the worker will choose the threads based on the designs.

Washing and finishing: The final worked out clothes are stitched together and washed to remove the printing and get the final design.

Chikan work requires a lot of finishing and precision so that the design can become legible and attractive. We at onlinechikan believe in getting the perfect designs and patterns. Our designs are latest and the chikan work is performed by experts. The experts will provide better designs based on their experience and that will enhance the overall look of the material.