The Beautiful Art of Embroidery Patterns: What We Know

Chikankari is a famous type of hand embroidery from India that has been loved by everyone, from ancient kings to modern-day stars. It’s a style that looks great on all women —no matter their age or looks. Indian women have been wearing sarees with Chikankari for a very long time, and they still do.

Chikankari means creating beautiful designs with white thread on light fabrics like cotton or silk. There are many stories about how Chikankari started. However, one popular tale is about a traveler who taught the craft to a kind villager in Lucknow, which is now known for its embroidery.

The story behind Chikankari

The word 'Chikankari' has been around for a long time now. However, Chikankari is an art that takes us back to ancient times. It’s said that the art started in the 3rd century BC when a Greek traveler named Megasthenes wrote about Indians wearing ‘flowered muslins.’ The Chikankari word itself comes from ‘chikin’, a Persian word that means any type of embroidered flower. In simple words, “chikan” means embroidery, and “kari” means work or art.

Old people of Lucknow tell this story of a traveler who was walking through a village and stopped because he was thirsty. He requested a farmer to give him some water to drink. The villager gave him water to drink, and the traveler shared his Chikankari art in return as a gesture of gratitude.

But we are not sure how real this story is. It is also believed that it was Noor Jahan, the wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir, who brought this Persian art to India in the 17th century. During the Mughals' time in India, this art became very popular because of its royal style. By the 18th century, Chikankari was popular all over India.

At that time, they started drawing this art in different styles on muslin and fine cotton. But today, the art of Chikankari is done on wool, cotton, silk, chiffon, and crepe fabrics.

The art of making Chikankari

Lucknow people say "Chikankari is done in two stages." These two stages, however, involve many techniques.

Pre-Work

At this stage, the design is created and then carved into wooden blocks. You must have seen those little stamps like wooden blocks. Using Neel and Safeda dye, the design is printed accurately on the cloth with soft pressure. Once all of the design is printed on the fabric, it's time to cut it out and send it to the next stage.

Embroidery

Now comes the most important part of Chikankari embroidery. The fabric is stretched over a frame. Then, with a needle and thread in hand, the artisans draw the patterns inked on the cloth.

A diverse range of Chikankari art

Women usually choose Chikankari sarees when they want to look awesome and create a totally new style, among others, because Chikankari sarees are really cool and comfortable if you wear them all day long. These days—apart from sarees, suits, and pants—you can find Chikankari on things like sofa covers and bed sheets.

If you want, you can buy these items online, too, at Jhakhas.com.

Chikankari uses many different stitches to make its patterns. The whole process of making an embroidered piece can take a long time. In the process of creating a perfect Chikankari piece, different artists work on it.

If you look around, Chikankari is also used to design men's shirts and kurtas for different occasions. The art of Chikankari is perfect for traditional and modern outfits.

Changing trends of Chikankari over time

Chikankari has been and still is in fashion. It has changed over time with new styles and colors. Now, you can find Chikankari with extra decorations like beads and mirrors, which make the sarees look fancy. They’re also made of light materials that are easy to wear every day.

Check out the different Chikankari sarees at Jhakhas.com.

The Lucknowi Chikankari saree is famous around the world for its detailed and fine work. Women love to wear these elegant sarees for special events. The fine work of white thread on white cloth is very pretty. This hand embroidery shows Lucknow's rich culture. There are many fabrics that can be used for Chikankari, including cotton, silk, and chiffon.

Types of Chikankari

There are different types of Chikankari art. Chikankari embroidery is known for its multiple stitches. Here are some famous Chikankari types:

Phanda: Multi-shaped stitch that looks like a flower.
Jaali: A fine stitch that creates a net-like pattern.
Tepchi: A long-running or darning stitch worked with six strands on the right side of the fabric, taking over four threads and picking up one.
Murri: A rice-shaped stitch is used to fill motifs.
Bakhiya: Used to fill in the motifs and create a shadow effect.

Fabric used for Chikankari

Since the art of Chikankari has been around for a very long time, different types of fabrics have also been used to create a different look altogether. In most cases, designers use cotton, silk, muslin, rayon, chaneri, and more.

These fabrics provide the perfect base for beautiful Chikankari stitches. If you’re looking to buy different Chikankari works, you can find a range of options at Jhakhas.com.

Motifs and patterns

Since Chikankari is from ancient times, it is quite obvious that there would be so many options of designs and patterns on the market. Currently, Chikankari is a popular industry with a wide variety of products to choose from.

If you see the design of Chikankari, you would notice a natural touch in every design such as flowers, leaves, vines, and birds, for example.

These designs are stitched onto the fabric with so much care and time. For a precise design, you need to have stable hands and an eye for detail, most importantly. Because, every motif is placed carefully on the cloth to make the perfect design.

The final say

These days, Chikankari embroidery is not just a trend. However, when it comes to traditional styles of clothing, Chikankari garments are one of the best choices. However, you must have noticed some of the celebrities wearing Chikan kurtis, sarees, and, of course, kurtas.

If you want to buy a Chikan kurti set, salwar suit, saree, or pants, you are at the right place. We have a huge collection that’s just right for any event—be it a festival, a day at the office, or just your everyday wear.