CHIKANKARI EMBROIDERY – STUNNING WAYS TO STYLE YOUR OUTFITS
Arts and crafts, this is what the land of India mainly for. They make some great artifacts with the use of locally available goods and guided by a beautiful vision. In order to be more beautiful and attractive, most Indian garments carry a kind of embroidery or the other. Embroidery is a kind of work with fine threads on the surface in general terms.
On the basis of the fabric, thread, design, and the color combinations that are applied, different regions of India have different embroidery traditions. Indian embroidery styles are popular all over the world due to their distinct style, intricate craftwork, and complex process, and overall elegance. The following are a few of the quite famous Indian Embroidery styles that are discussed:
Chikankari
The most sought-after embroidery work of India is what Chikankari is. The most delicately done embroidery on muslin, georgette, chiffon, and other fine fabrics with white yarn is what it is. This fabric is rendered beautiful with different kinds of stitches like flat stitches, embossed stitches, and smaller stitches. Five different processes through stitching, printing, embroidery, finishing, and washing is how a fabric that is to be embellished with chikankari undergoes.
The flower motifs like jasmine, rose, flowering stems, lotus, and paisley motifs are quite popular though the creeper motif is the most commonly used motif in chikankari. It is not limited to only garments but is done on various home furnishing items, too, like pillow covers, cushion covers, table linen, and partition curtains when it comes to Chikankari embroidery. The biggest center of Chikankari in Lucknow is Uttar Pradesh.
Kantha
To make it over home furnishing items, this is the local embroidery style of Bengal and is practiced by Bengali women. The thread that is used is quite old, and the old cotton saris are used as the base. To give a series of dotted lines, this is marked by small running stitches. It can help change the appearance of the old sari to a new and fresh one though the outer surface of the old cotton sari undergoes through a lot of needlework, gods and goddesses, animals, flowers, and different geometric patterns are the usual motifs used here.
Kathi
The Rabari nomadic tribe of Gujarat mainly performs this style. A combination of chain stitch along with the applique word and the embellishments of smaller mirrors is what this style of embroidery is done as. The folk flavor of Gujarat looks on with complete vibrancy with the bright colors fabrics that are used here.
Zardozi
Under the patronage of emperor Akbar, this is the style of embroidery that is flourished in the medieval period. In Zardozi, you will find the creative use of laid stitch with the golden thread. This embroidery is beautiful and elegant as it is quite intricate and complex. On saris, wall hangings, caps, and other articles are on which Zardozi can be done. Golden wires or zari are used that are made after strenuous efforts that involve winding, twisting, wire drawing, and others in terms of the zardozi thread work. The principal centers of zardosi presently are Surat and Banaras. These days, Zardozi-done garments are highly popular and in great demand among women along with Chikankari.
In India, Chikankari is one of the most popular forms of embroidery. It can form various types of designs on the surface of the fabric, including the flat stitch, embossed stitch, and jail work as it is done by hand. After the origin, this embroidery has soon spelled its magic. People admire it a lot for those who are fond of style and elegance. It is quite time-consuming when it comes to Chikankari as it is done quite delicately.
