Handmade Chikankari Kurti
The world of fabric and design makes it simple, quick, and fun when it comes to the evolution of modern embroidery digitizing. Developing nations have also benefited from this development along with the developed countries. For instance, if you take into concern the Indian traditional handmade chikankari Kurti. This article here will be emphasizing on the transformations that are brought with the help of embroidery digitizing. It is about morphing them into something that is modern, time-saving, and convenient, as it is not about pushing the old traditions.
Let’s get back to the hindsight and enlighten the readers about its origin before delving into chikankari’s modern embroidery digitized form.
About Chikankari Embroidery
It is by the expert embroiderers that Chikankari embroidery is the most relished Indian hand embroidery that is done. Earlier, it was 100% done manually without the involvement of any machinery or computers as the process was long and tedious. To draw various intricate, traditional and floral patterns on a piece of paper, the process required an artist to firstly do this. These patterns and the designs were later on drawn into the fabric. It was more of individual labor that could not meet the bulk production needs of the manufacturer and the growing demand for this kind of embroidered fabric earlier on.
Embroidery Digitizing
The marvels of embroidery digitizing are the second part here that we are going to explain. The designers, along with the engineers, have started to work on an idea to get this kind of decorative needlework done by machines in order to get more production in a lesser time since the cost of the hand-embroidered fabric was extremely high and the supply was low. It is known as the free motion sewing machine as these guys came up with a small embroidery machine initially. It is somewhat similar to that of the home sewing machine.
By moving the fabric under the needle, these patterns were drawn on the fabric and placed into a smaller hoop and embroidery done by the machine operator. To meet the growing demand of the Chikankari embroidery industry that was growing rapidly, this was still not completely productive. More and more research and development were done to make something more productive since this was a money-making industry by them with an extreme demand from women of all ages.
Advancement of Chikankari
To give out bulk production with as high as 1,000 stitches per minute with no compromise in quality of the embroidery that is done with the advancement of technology, then came bigger computerized embroidery machines. These machines can do the same embroidery on more than 50 fabrics at the same time, increasing productivity and reducing the turnaround time as these are multi heads.
Some computerized format design input is required by these machines. To make these computerized format patterns, embroidery digitizing software is used. For almost every income group buyer, this revolution helped to make the Chikankari embroider affordably.
The question arises on how it can help reduce the costs and increase productivity and how this digitizing is done. The same technique initially begins this process here.
A pattern is designed on a piece of paper, and then it is scanned for use in computers primarily. The design of his digitizing software through clicks of the mouse and the use of the keyboard is done by the digitizer. In terms of operating the digitizing software, these are the professional people who have the knowledge on the same. This software can also show how it will look on the fabric as it can tell the number of stitches of the final design. Then through a floppy or USB disk, this design from the software is then transferred, and you are prepared for a bulk output.
