DIFFERENT IMPORTANT STITCHES OF CHIKANKARI

Chikan is a traditional embroidery style from Lucknow, India. Literally translated the word means embroidery. Lucknow is mainly renowned for this particular art. Chikankari embroidery has many different stitches which form the beautiful motifs on the cloth.

Phanda knots, Bakhiya shadow and Bijli flowers

Shadow and Phanda work

Jaali Work

Chikankari Stitches:

1.       Tepchi is a long running stitch worked with six strands on the right side of the fabric taken over four threads and picking up one which form a line. It is used as a basic and main stitch to form a shape and further designs.

2.       Bakhiya is a double back or shadow stitch which is done on the wrong side of the fabric and the design comes out in the herringbone style. The shadow of the thread is seen through the cloth on the right side and that is why is called shadow stitch.

3.       Hool is a fine detached eyelet stitch. In this stitch, hole is made on the fabric and then the threads are teased apart. Then it is held by small straight stitches all round and worked with one thread on the right side of the fabric to form the center of the flower.

4.       Zanzeera is also called as chain stitch and worked with one thread on the right side of the fabric. It is very fine stitch and used to make outlines of leaves and petals of flowers.

5.       Phanda and Murri are the stitches used to embroider the centre of the flowers in simple chikankari motifs. They are basically French knots, with murri being rice-shaped and phanda millet-shaped.

6.       Jali stitch is the one which is never made like other stitches because in this stitch the back side of the fabric should also look fine like the front side of the fabric. The warp and weft threads are carefully drawn apart and minute buttonhole stitches are inserted into the cloth. That is why Chikankari sarees, suits and other garments looks so authentic and exquisite.

The other different kinds of authentic chikankari stitches are as follows: Pechani, Bijli, Ghaspatti, Makra, Kauri, Hathkadi, Banjkali, Sazi, Karan, Kapkapi, Madrazi, Bulbul-chasm, Taj Mahal, Janjeera, Kangan, Rahet, Dhania-patti, Rozan, Meharki, Chanapatti, Baalda, Jora, Keel kangan, Bulbul, Sidhaul, etc..