TAST 2012 WEEK 9 Couching stitch-4

With these attempts I am completing this trial of Kashmiri couching. As suggested by another member of TAST , I’ll have to approach this stitch in other ways too. Initially, this couching should be done on drawn pattern and not lines, this will help to practice this stitch, later , after mastering the technique, it will be easier. I want to continue this learning process, but will do so at a later date.
12-in this motif, three circles are worked in couching stitch with three twists added in between.

9.cou st-12

13-I tried the same twisted couching in this shape.

9.cou st-13

14-small paisley worked in circular couching in the centre and single twist couching around it.

9.cou st-14

Though I haven’t done as much as required for this Kashmiri couching, starting this gave me some satisfaction. I can continue, where this was left, at a later date.

 

TAST 2012 WEEK 9 Couching stitch-3

Thanks Diane, for your wonderful suggestion, it has helped in reducing my anxiety .
Today also I tried working on this Kashmiri couching stitch. The art of twisting the thread still keeps eluding me. Just have to keep working on it.
8- I tried alternating three twists with single twist of the thread in this row.

9.COU ST-8

9- top row worked in single twist couching and the bottom is worked with two twists. Need lots of practice.

9.cou st-9

10- the centre was worked in large spiral couching, around it some small spirals.

9.cou st-10

11- after working a spiral couching in the centre, couching with a single twist was worked around the centre. They are worked in a line to form a border.

9.cou st-11

I might try working this couching technique for fillers, tomorrow

 

TAST 2012 WEEK 9 Couching stitch-2

After the trials of the couching stitch yesterday, an idea of working this stitch as spirals came to mind. This is not my original idea. This couching stitch is used widely in Kashmiri embroidery. A thick skein of thread or wool is couched on to the fabric with a same colour thread. It is done in mono colour. Spirals form the basic pattern. I had not tried this before, thought , for this week ‘s stitch, I’ll try to work this stitch.
2- A. I tried zig zag couching in this row.
b. I started with the first row of spirals. Both these rows are worked on wool.

9.cou st-2

3-a. drew a straight line and tried two spirals together in this row[ not satisfied again!]
b. tried different spirals by couching, [ this experiment is ok]

9.cou st-3

4-in this row continuous spirals were worked in a line.

9.cou st-4

5- a row of long spirals are worked in this row.

9.cou st-6

6-I tried alternating the previous two rows.

9.cou st-6

7-I tried working three spirals together in this row [ either, I need loads of practice or I am not doing this right]

9.cou st-7

Quite frustrated to see the effects, though!

 

Kashmiri couching on blue tunic

I have always had a fascination of Indian embroideries. This led me to buy a book-Ethnic embroidery of India by Usha Shrikant. Expensive and also very informative.
There was this kashmiri couching stitch.I had seen tunics with this embroidery,it is done in monocolour with thick thread.
Following the instructions from the book, I made some trials on a sampler.Itching to do it on a project[ what else but, a tunic?],I worked this stitch on neck and sleeves of this tunic-

Kashmiri couching on tunic-1kashmiri couching on tunic-2

Kashmiri work on blouse

I am fond of of kashmiri embroidery done in single strand.
Inthis type of embroidery,After working on the traced pattern,the empty spaces in between are also covered with straight , fly stitches .
The finished embroidery looks as if it is done on appliquéd cloth.But also looks like it is part of the base fabric[like jamevar shawls etc]
Coming back to my inspiration, I tried doing this on blouse[saree] sleeves.
I did the whole thing in single strand, used the same stitches, but failed to fill the empty spaces[I understood that later, after seeing many samples. HEE!HEE!]
Now I have with me a blouse which is embroidered with some motifs!
I call it Kashmiri embroidery for a simple reason-it inspired me!
This blouse was for a cream printed silk saree.
The coffee brown blouse material is silk cotton.

motifs on brown blouse

brown blouse close up

it sure took a long time to complete this , I aged doing this.

 

Green tunic [old]

Earlier I had blogged on violet tunic here.
The embroidered yoke and sleeves are taken from this green tunic. I did not know I had the pictures of this earlier tunic.
Here also , the picture is not of high quality.
The embroidery done in self colours- the reason is the dupatta[scarf] was bright block printed lemon yellow. It matched well as a set. The fabric colour is also a mixture of green and yellow[not clear in the picture]. Embroidery here was just a subtle detail.
My sister in law liked this set very much.[ though,she liked the duppatta more than the tunic]
The tunic-

“]

green tunic[old

The closeup-

old green tunic closeup

Imagination is the key factor here, with this picture, which will give life to our vision[quite poetic for me]
LOL!

 

Violet and green tunic

This embroidered yoke and sleeves were done on a green tunic. I had a yellow dupatta for it. Later I made the dupatta into a short kurthi[top].
I got tired of seeing this on that green tunic, so when I bought this violet mangalagiri fabric, the yoke and sleeves were attached to it.
Idea- The idea was to work a type of kashmiri embroidery, which is delicate and fills the whole area. the stitches generally used are stem, cretan, straight.
The pattern- the patterns used in these embroidery are florals,I drew a creeper pattern.
Embroidery- the whole piece was done in two strands of cotton skeins.straight stitches in pink and white for flowers, stem stitch in green for veins, and small straight stitches in yellow as fillers.
The embroidery was attached to this violet tunic-

violet & green tunic

.

The closeup[the green and yellow combination was better for the green tunic]-

vio green tunic closeup

Here is another example of how the colour contrasts work on a tunic.
I want to explore more on this embroidery type and I am yet to start.

 

Lavender tunic

This tunic was designed and embroidered some time ago.the fabric is cotton. For along time, I couldn’t get any idea for this tunic.it was always staring at me, It was too plain to leave it as it is. Since no idea was forthcoming, I decided to do a simple  chain st  filling.

This type of design is common for kashmiri embroidery,is done with an  aari needle. Generally the design is big and covers the area from neck to waist. I did avery simple one, because I wanted to complete it fast.I used crewel needle.

Lavender tunic-1

The designing part was quite easy,Just alternating between  floral and paisley patterns.The embroidery took some time , because of the various colours. The Pattern closeup-

Lavender tunic closeup