Experts column, Trends, Seam to seam, Accessories, Just a thought, Boutique reviews, Experts, fabrics, Indian textiles, Indian fashion trends, traditional Indian textiles, fashion trends in India, textiles, Indian dressing, Sarees, saris, types of saris, types of sarees. The saris are embellished with medallions, fine floral butis , scrolled leaves, branches and creepers, stylized peacocks and parrots. Initially vegetable dyes were used for printing and though this is still practised, the nature, requirements and pattern vary from craftsmen to places. This is the art of working raised and ornamental designs in threads of silk, cotton, gold and silver upon any woven fabric with a needle.
Chikan embroidery is a speciality of Lucknow.
This is a variety of running and darning stitches that are used to embroider episodes from legends, scenes from daily life, birds, animals and trees. Thematically, the art of kantha is an enriched version of the aripona or alpona in Bengal. Kantha is worked on tussar and silk saris though it s available in cotton fabrics too. In traditional phulkari the main colours used are yellow and white but the ground colour is always considered a factor while deciding the patterns, which are mostly geometric and floral. By combining chain, satin and interlacing stitches, prominent couching and mirrorwork, you get fine embroidery that can embellish saris .