CHIKAN EMBROIDERY SAL COMPLETED!

This was the stitch along I did under Anita's instruction through her blog at Artistic Fingers.   It was an 8 week long class.  I never realized how many different stitches were in this motif!

I just completed my last lesson in Chikan embroidery.  This week we did the Eyelet stitch (Rozan) and Wave stitch filling (Jali).  The eyelet is at the bottom of this first photo.  It looks like eyelets with holes in the centers.  The wave stitch filling is the area inside the center heart.  To me this was probably the most challenging because a graph is used.  Once I got the proportions right for the graph and understood the pattern to follow, however, it went pretty quickly.

A close-up

Completed Motif

Last Lesson Completed

The Backside

If you have a chance to take this online class from Anita, I highly recommend it.  Thanks Anita!  I love learning new things and appreciated you sharing your knowledge and skills.

Chikan Embroidery, Lesson 7

When I started lesson 7 I wasn't loving it.  I kept at it though and the more I did the Overcast Stitch Variation (Balda), the easier it got and it didn't turn out as bad as I thought in the beginning it might.

The second stitch was the Satin Stitch Variation (Gol murri).  It is the little drops extending off the slightly larger upside down teardrop - upper left side in the image immediately below.

One more lesson :-(  This stitch along (SAE) has been quite enjoyable.  I love learning new things.  I think it keeps the creative juices alive, don't you?  Below is my progress so far.  I've just finished my TAST for the week and I'm going over to see if Anita has added lesson 8 yet.  Next, I need to decide what I am going to do with the finished piece.  Ideas?

Chikan Embroidery SAL, Lesson 6 Completed

I thought I might get tired of working on this same piece for so long, but I look forward to each week's lesson. I hope you aren't getting tired of seeing it. Here is my progress so far with lesson 6 just completed.

Below is a closeup. The four small leaves at the top are Satin Stitch Variation (Gol murri is the Indian name for this stitch). Each is outlined first with a running stitch before doing the Satin Stitch Variation which is done at an angle on each leaf.

The second stitch for this week is the Straight Stitch Variation (Chikna Phanda). This is shown on either side of the upside down heart and follows the Stem Stitch flowing down from the two leaves we did last week. They are meant to look like little leaves. I hope I accomplished the look. I did enjoy this stitch a lot and will definitely use it again. It required the use of six strands of floss which I am not used to.

I probably shouldn't show the backside, but here it is.

This is the front with the daylight and some lamplight coming through.

A little closer look.

I welcome your comments. Also, in case you are new here, there is a link to Anita's blog Artistic Fingers on my sidebar. You can visit her to learn more about this form of embroidery and to let her know whether you are interested in taking her free online SAL (stitch along) class.

Chikan Embroidery

Completed lesson 5 of my on-line Chikan Embroidery class over at Artistic Fingers (see link on sidebar to learn and see more).

Below is the first part on the two leaf shapes at the center of photo. This shape started as a Stem Stitch (Rahet), leading into the Blanket Stitch (Kaj). On the inside edges of the Blanket Stitch is the Back Stitch (Pashni) and filling in the center of the two leaves is the Running Stitch (Tepchi).

The next portion is the wavy line in the center which leads down to the triangle shape at the bottom. The wavy line is a Interlaced or Laced Running Stitch (Tepchi Pechni). Basically you start with a Running Stitch and then lace it, weaving in and out through the stitches, alternating direction through which you weave.

The triangle shape is then stitched with the Double Back Stitch (Bakhya or Bakhiya or Bakhia). The very bottom of the triangle shape is Back Stitch (Pashni)

The names in parenthesis is the Indian name of the stitch. I am absolutely loving the softness of this project. Thanks Anita!

Chikan - Lesson 4 Completed

I never realized how difficult it was to maintain consistency in color in photographs of stitchery and especially in getting the pink right. This photo is pretty close. When I get the pink right, the white is tinted :-( I guess my next class should be still life photography. Anyway, back on topic...


I finished lesson 4 of Chikan embroidery. We did the Whipped Back Stitch (Pashni), Detached Chain Stitch Variation (Phanda) and the Roman Stitch (Banarsi). The names in parenthesis are the corresponding Indian names of the stitches. Don't ask me how to pronounce any of them. Below is what my stitching looks like so far with a light coming through.

Any of you that know me know how I love lace and the more stitching I add to this the more it has the feel of lace. It looks and feels very delicate.

Anita will soon be offering this free class again. To find out the details visit her BLOG or click on the link on my sidebar.

CHIKAN EMBROIDERY and TAST

Another lesson behind me for Chikan Embroidery. It was more shadow work. Even though my stitching is far from perfect, I am enjoying learning how to do it and loving the results.

The photo above shows the front side or working side of the stitchery while the photo below reveals the backside or shadow created. I haven't ironed it yet and you can certainly see the wrinkles and lines. This really does take muslin to a whole new level.

Below is my TAST stitching for the week. (These projects are keeping me busy!) It is the Barred Chain and Alternating Barred Chain. I used variations of my favorite color, purple, and over course did my weekly tree using the current stitch.

We are into the 12th week already which means nearly 1/4th of the year has gone by. It is gorgeous outside today, so this is going to be a short post. I'm heading out for a bicycle ride later and then do a little more stitching, this time on a crazy quilt block. Tonight is 'Desperate Housewives'. After last weeks being all depressing I'm thinking I am the desperate housewife for watching it. Final season though.

Chikan Embroidery - Lesson 2

Lesson 2 for my Chikan Embroidery class was fairly easy for me as it involved two stitches I have used quite a bit and there wasn't quite as much area to cover as in lesson 1. It included the Chain stitch (Janjira) and the Stem stitch (Rahet). I think I forgot to mention that the stitch for lesson 1 was the Double Back Stitch (Bakhya/Bakhiya/Bakhia) a/k/a Shadow Applique.


Below is a closeup of the Chain stitch...

I am taking this class from Anita at Artistic Fingers and you can find her link on my sidebar. I appreciate so much that she has offered this online class and that it is free!

Chikan Embroidery - Lesson 1 Completed

Finally finished my first Chikan Embroidery lesson. That was a lot of stitching to do and a lot went on hold while I worked on it. I get so focussed on finishing things sometimes and just hate to put them down before hand.


I'm doing this stitch along by Anita over at Artistic Fingers. There is a link on my sidebar if you would like to see how this stitch was done.

The backside is basically a Herringbone pattern. Thinner fabric such as muslin is used for this type of embroidery to allow this patterned shadow to show through. My fabric is a very pale pink and I'm stitching with white embroidery floss. Above is the underside held up to the light. Directly below is a photo of the top or working side of the fabric. I photographed it up to the light so you could get an idea of the pattern it creates.

Without the light shing through the shadow pattern is not as obvious but you can see a difference between it and where there is no shadow.

I started at the bottom and worked my way up ending at the top of the design. After stitching all of these drop shapes I could definitely see my stitches were looking better and were a little more consistent.

I also noticed each one didn't take quite as long. After my first few drop shapes I was beginning to think I would never be able to finish! I can't imagine how much it takes to complete all of the stitching on some of the traditional Indian clothing. It is beautiful though don't you think?

Now back to my crazy quilt blocks until it is time to do another TAST stitched tag. And to think I just got back into stitching about a year ago after being away from it forever. I have a lot of catching up to do!