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FASHION DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY - CITS

The motifs are very simple. Some examples are gold coin (Sharif), mango, brick (event) and rosary beads
(rudraksha) in the form of small buties.
Introduction of Traditional Embroideries

Embroidery or the art of needlework resulted from the passion of womenfolk to express their creativity and
ornament their apparel and household textiles. Primarily a feminine art, young girls learned the craft from their
mothers and older women in the family. The artistic expressions of the embroiderer are skillfully created on fabric
with a simple tool, needle or a hook needle known as awl or tambour.
Classification of embroidery textile
The Indian embroideries can be classified on the basis of the technique of production or as per the region of
production
1 Kashida
• Region: Kashida is an embroidery style from Kashmir that is practiced by men folk of the region. The
intricate needlework is inspired from the charming natural surroundings of Kashmir.
• Technique: The base material for Kashida is cotton, wool or silk in a variety of colors like white, blue,
yellow, purple, red, green and black. The embroidery threads used to execute Kashida are wool, silk or
cotton depending on the product to be embroidered. The main stitches employed for Kashida are darning
stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch and chain stitch.

• Motifs: The motifs used in Kashida depict the natural elements which includes the rich flora and fauna of
the region of Kashmir. Typical motifs are birds like magpie, kingfisher; flowers, butterflies, maple leaves,
almonds, cherries, grapes and plums. A popular motif seen on embroidered shawls is derived from the
cypress cone. (Fig 1)

Fig 1

• Style of Embroidery: There are three styles of embroidery followed in Kashmir. Sozni is intricate embroidery
that uses stitches like fly stitch, stem stitch and darning stitch. The aari style, also called Zalakdozi employs
hook or aari to fill-in motifs with chain stitch. In Kashmiri couching, zari thread is laid on the fabric along a
pattern and is held in place with another thread.
• End Use: Kashmiri embroidery is primarily done on shawls and regional garments like phiran. Chain stitch
embroidery is done on woolen floor rugs called Gabbas and Namdas. Nowadays, Kashida is also used to
decorate household items like bed covers, cushion covers, lampshades, bags and other accessories.
2 Phulkari
• Region: Phulkari is an embroidery style that originated in Punjab. It is used and embroidered in different
parts of Punjab namely Jalandhar, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Bhatinda and
Patiala.
The earliest available article of phulkari embroidery is a rumal embroidered during 15th century by Bibi Nanaki,
sister of Guru Nanak Dev. The needlework is widely practiced by the women of Punjab and holds significance in
a life of a woman, from her marriage till her final abode to heaven.

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CITS : Apparel - Fashion Design & Technology - Lesson 2 CITS : Apparel - Fashion Design & Technology - Lesson 2