Metal Embroidery

Traditional Indian textiles

Apoorva bishtKnitwear departmentSemester-3

Metal embroideryGoldwork is the art of embroidery using metal threads. It is particularly prized for the way light plays on it. The term "goldwork" is used even when the threads are imitation gold, silver, or copper. The metal wires used to make the threads have never been entirely gold; they have always been gold-coated silver or cheaper metals, and even then the "gold" often contains a very low percent of real gold. Most metal threads are available in silver and sometimes copper as well as gold; some are available in colors as well.Goldwork is always surface embroidery and free embroidery; the vast majority is a form oflaid work or couching; that is, the gold threads are held onto the surface of the fabric by a second thread, usually of fine silk. The ends of the thread, depending on type, are simply cut off, or are pulled through to the back of the embroidery and carefully secured with the couching thread. A tool called a mellore or a stilleto is used to help position the threads and create the holes needed to pull them throughThe embroidery done with metal wires is called Kalabuttu or jari work.Origin – France- Real gold laces imported from France – French gold lace. Vedas and epics references have been made on gold and silver embroidery. Work on silks and satins for nobles ,sultans and royal family members.

There are two types of embroideries:1. Heavy work2. Light work 

Zardozi is the heavier type.Kamdani is the lighter type.In Zardozi, the stitches are very close to each other and they are elaborately done.The lighter type Kamdani is used on finer fabrics and it is of a simpler kind and less elaborate. Zardozi is prepared with the use of 'budla' which are thin strips of metal. 

Goldwork , Spain, 20th century

    Goldwork , 19th century

Old pattern of a traditional Nordic Sami peoples metal embroidery collar, Åsele in

Sweden. Silver or Pewter tread is most commonly used for the Folk Costume embroidery

This rare pair of antique Ottoman period Turkish metal embroidery slipper shoes date from 1918

Embroidered sample of the kind of metal embroidery used on court uniforms for ladies in waiting

Pair of gloves,England,1630-50,embroidered leather with silk & metal  embroidered gauntlet,Museum no. 907-1904

Contemporary use:Earlier it was used only in garments for high class people(kings and queens).But in modern times metal embroidery can also be seen in daily wear clothing. Its used a lot in designer bags and shoes. Also contemporized version of it can also be seen in lifestyle purposes for example home furnishings. Because of the cost of the materials and the time and skill required to create the embroidery, Goldwork has traditionally been used exclusively for occasional and special pieces. But today, it is used for almost anything especially for traditional occasions. Earlier the colours used for this embroidery were very bright and traditional.Modern techniques also produce other less traditional colours. Now it’s also combined with a lot of sequence and bead work.

Mary brown’s embroidery

Jardine Arts & Exports(metal embroidery with silk thread)

Svarovski crystals with metal embroidery

de le cuona beddings

Gucci bag

de le cuona beddings

corset dress

metal embroidery used in jodha akbar

Kashida of KashmirKashmiri embroidery or kashida is colorful and beautiful as kashmir itself. Embroiders often draw inspiration from the beautiful nature around. The colors the motifs of flowers, creepers and chinar leaves, mango etc. are the most common ones. The whole pattern is created using one or two embroidery stitch styles

The Kashmiri embroidery commonly known with its traditional name Kashida Embroidery is famous for its sheer beauty and has in perfection attained the limits of fantasy and incredulity. Patterns and colour schemes are magnificently employed in Kashmiri Embroidery by the crafts-man with a mood aligned to the spirit of nature. Kashmiri Embroidery is done on canvas base material with crystal threads. Pashmina and leather threads are also used in Kashmiri Embroidery. The designs and motifs employed are Notus, ghobi, chinar leaf, natural depicting flowers and leaf, birds, Blossoms and Trees. Utility items being produced commercially today are bed spread, floor cushion, pillow covers and sofa cushions etc.

1970s Kashida Embroidered Robe

Kashida shawls

flower motif

Contemporary useKashida embroidery remains more or less the same even today. In terms of colours, a lot of pale colours are seen today. Kashida is not limited to garments only. Home furnishings, shoes as well as hats have also come under this category.

Inka beddings

Cuision cover

Kantha embroideryKantha embroidery is one of the popular embroidery styles of India. In fact, it is considered as a specialty of West Bengal. `Kontha` or `Kantha` is a Sanskrit word,

which means `rags`. It is also called as the `recycling art`. There are several legends that are associated with the origin of this art form. It is said that in the past, the precious clothes that were torn out were piled in layers and stitched by the women. Another legend relates `kantha` origin to Lord Buddha and his disciples because they used the thrown away rags to cover themselves. They used to stitch those thrown away rags.

Actually the Kantha stitch is simple running stitch particularly made on the edges. It is the way it has been used that makes it extra ordinary. The thread that is used for doing Kantha stitch is actually taken out from the borders of the used piece of cloth. In this form of stitch, around five to six pieces of torn out clothes are taken and they are stitched on the edges. Thus, five to six clothes form a quilt when they are embroidered together. Thus, Kantha in West Bengal is popularly known as embroidered quilt. Kantha also means `dorukha` that literally means transforming the worn out and used textiles into beautiful fabrics. There are different types of Kantha that are used for varied purposes. The thick quilt is a warm winter cover, large and rectangular, for ceremonial purposes. Moreover, cloths with beautiful Kantha embroidery are used by the women as shawls.

Various themes are applied in Kantha embroidery. It usually includes folk design, floral motifs, birds and animal figures as well as several geometrical shapes and patterns. Mostly the themes are inspired by the day to day activities of the people. However, contemporary

Kantha embroidery differs from the old embroidery basically done on multi-layered dhotis or saris. Kantha embroidery can be seen in various types of garments right from sarees, shirts to furnishing fabrics.

Kantha embroidery has several variations and they range from being simple motifs to very intricate ones. Kantha embroidery is considered as a typical example of how a simple stitch can create elaborate motifs. The Kantha embroidery of West Bengal has for its base discarded sarees piled on top of one another and quilted. Kantha embroidery has limitless designs, for every woman who works on it can make almost any innovations possible. Kantha embroidery is hugely popular among the tourists.

lotus motif

hindu swastika

fish motif

Contemporary useThe contemporary Kantha is not necessarily done on old multiple layered saris or dhotis. It can also be seen on the present day garments like the sarees, dupatta, shirts for men and women, bedding and other furnishing fabrics. For these fabrics and dresses the base fabric used is cotton and silk.. These days new cloth/fabric is used, Saree's/cushion covers/bed covers/are all done using Kantha embroidery. A running stitch is used creatively to form beautiful patterns on the fabric. Floral motifs, bird/animal motifs are used. Rural women engage in this craft and everyday life is depicted in the design. Cloth is layered and held together by the Kantha stich. Kantha embroidery is a hit with tourists in west Bengal and it truly is a work of art..

banglanak  

bags

Kasuti EmbroideryKasuti embroidery is a typical traditional form of art mainly practiced in Karnataka. The origin of Kasuti embroidery can be traced back to the period of Chalukyas when a great renaissance in the sphere of art and architecture took place. Kasuti embroidery is widespread in several districts of Karnataka such as Dharwad District,Belgaum District, Hubli and Mangalore. The undisclosed fact of this age old embroidery form is that it can be done only by counting the threads of the warp and weft and the designs can be traced or implanted, as outlines. Conventionally, it is done on llkai sarees and blouse pieces.

Kasuti embroidery is a fine piece of art. Kasuti shows up best on thick materials against dark Indian shades. The larger designs feature the elephant with howdah, the temple, the basil (Tulsi) plant platform, Nandi the sacred bull etc all near the pallu. As they go down the length, the designs get smaller like flowers, birds, animals and a

large variety of geometrical designs. Stitches in Kasuti embroidery have to be vertical, horizontal or diagonal and the lines or the motifs have to be completed on the return journey filling in the blank portions.

Types of Kasuti Embroidery

Four types of Kasuti are done namely Neyge Kasuti, Murgi Kasuti, Menthya Kasuti and Gavanthi Kasutis. There are over 700 designs under categories like Gandle Kamala, Gopi Kamala Chittu Kamala, Gundala Gopura, Dagabaji Gopura, Gandolagida, Tulasi, Kalee, Peacock, Neuge Godambi, Elephant, Lions, Vankipatti, Kayapatti etc. The stitches commonly used are the negi, the gavanti, the menthi and the murgi. Gavanti is the most commonly used double running stitch and is worked in horizontal and vertical directions. Murgi is the zigzag done within the mending stitch, similar to gavanti. Negi is the ordinary running stitch. It is used for large designs and the overall effect is of a woven design by extra weft threads. In fact negi is an off-shoot of the word `ney` which in Karnataka means weaving. Menthu is a cross-stitch which is closely done by counting of the warp and two weft threads, mainly used in architectural patterns. Thus, Kasuti embroidery is essentially a decoration for a saree and blouse of the same material and loses its composure and beauty if done on any odd piece.

Contemporary use 

Kasuti work has grown beyond its traditional boundaries to be used in other dress materials like the Mysore silk saree. A Lambani Kasuti centre was set up in Hubli by the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Karnataka to encourage the Kasuti culture and also provide a single roof for the Lambani women to showcase their craft. Generally, the colours that are used in Kasuti embroidery are bold, such as orange, violet and yellow.Initially, only cotton threads and cotton cloth were used in this kind of embroidery; however, with the passage of time, silk cloth also began to be used. It has gone commercial now with mass production of Kasuti embroidered saris and modern wear like tops and skirts, Dupattas, etc and few notice the symbolism of the different stitches or its ritual significance. The Kasuti resembles the western cross stitch and the traditional Kasuti was embroidered in such a way that it was reversible, with no wrong side to it. The thread used was single and only a skilled needle woman could execute fine work.

Chikan EmbroideryOriginally embroidery was done on white tanjeb; the muslin from Dacca, using only white untwisted cotton or some times tussar silk for embroidery. A large number of men were practising this art of embroidery since nineteenth century. Trade is now predominantly practiced by woman in Lucknow and adjoining villages. Some of the popular motifs are: Kairi (mango motif, generally made using taipchi stitch ); dhaniya patti (corriander leaf); phanda is made and a straight stitch is done to make the base of the stem; dhum patti (leaf pattern made of cross-stitch); ghas patti (grass leaves V-shaped line of stitches

worked in a graduated series); murri (grain motif - diagonal stitches are worked several times on a basic stitch to form a grain shape); kangan (bracelet-made by combination ofkeel, murri andjali stitch);joda murri (pair of grains);maharaki (close button hole is done around a hole, and finished with murri); sadi-maharaki (no hole is made, the part made in the centre is finishedwith tapichi and murri); daraz/katub (two fabrics are overlapped, stitched and extra fabric is cut, the cutting is called katub); pechani (taipchi stitch is covered by entwining the thread over it in a regular manner to provide the effect of a lever spring); tanjire (for lining the motif, looks like a chain); gitti (circle is formed with minute hole in centre); phanda (single chain is made, then on its top 3-4 similar chains); keel (first phanda is formed then the needle is inserted over and over the chain stitch to form a keel); kangira (seam allowance of fabric is folded such that triangles are formed on the wrong side of the fabric). Traditionally, the chikan embroidery was exclusive white items, decorations similar to the cotton, jamdani, and woven traditions. The Nawab Shujaudaula of Avadh was greatly attracted by this craft. It was his keen initiative and interest, which promoted this craft in present day Lucknow. Another record of the travelers of the sixteenth century describes that during the sixteenth century, white work from Bengal, was influenced by the Portuguese traders, the residents of the port Hugli, north of Calcutta of that time. The Bengali migrants who came from Dacca in eighteenth century to settle in Lucknow brought this art of surface ornamentation to Lucknow.

Chikan work came into production by the nineteenth century. During this period similar work was also produced at Calcutta and Madras. It is reported that earlier brass, bone, copper or iron needles were used, now only steel needles are used.

Procedure of making Chikan Embroidery

After cutting the fabric in required length, the designs are traced on the marked areas with blocks of a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. The block is dipped in neel (a chemical dye), which is mixed with glue and is soaked in cloth pads. The block is then printed on the desired area of the design. The embroiderer uses these printed outlines as a pattern and guide. These designs are embroidered by various stitches. The stitches used for chikankari are only that applied in regular embroidery. Tapichi (stem stitch ), bukhara (inverted stem stitch), are some of the popular stitches. Skill lies in rendering them in a specific way with the needles of the varying sizes. The stitches employed for this embroidery are pulled work, which create intricate patterns, locally known as jali work; the double back stitch; running and back stitch. No hooks or frames are used while embroidering. The left hand has to continually stretch the cloth gently weft ways and warp ways to avoid puckering. The jali work in particular is done with wide blunt needle. This needle makes the holes in the fabric with ease. Intricate floral designs are indigenously embroidered using white/coloured cotton thread, on sheer white or pastel coloured muslin, organza and these days some times silk.

The ingenuity of chikan-kari, the art of surface ornamentation lies in deploying up to thirty-five stitches to embroider the floral, geometrical, animal patterns.

Contemporary useLucknow, in Uttar Pradesh, was and is the centre of chikan embroidery, renowned for its timeless grace and its gossamer delicacy, a skill more than 200 years old --- exploited, commercialis but not dead. In fact, the craft is alive and struggling to regain some of its former beauty and elegance. . Earlier garments were so fragile that they had to be discarded after a few washes --this explains why early samples of chikan garments are not available. With the British influence, designs became more formal and items other than ethnic apparel began to be created. This brought a formalisation of designs to a large extent, which resulted in an export market. In traditional chikan no frames were used, but now they are used. Originally, chikan embroidery was done with white thread on soft, white cotton fabric like muslin or cambric. It was sometimes done on net to produce a kind of lace. Today chikan work is not only done with coloured threads but on all kinds of fabrics like silk, crepe, organdie chiffon, and tassar. Also earlier,same colours were used for this embroidery. For example,white on white. But today, a lot of variety in terms of colours is seen in this kind of embroidery.

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