Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-4

This tunic also as a motif below the yoke borders.

B&B kan-motif pattern

The motif worked with medium blue, dull gold and white threads.

B&B kan-m1

The motif looked like this after working with dark pink thread.

B&B kan-m2

Some more running stitch filling and stem stitch outlines were done with medium blue and light blue threads.

B&B kan-m3

The motif, after working the antique gold beads inside stem stitches.

B&B kan-m4

The completed tunic-
The yoke with printed fabric-

B&B kan-tunic yoke

The tunic-

B&B tunic

The sleeves with printed border.

B&B kan-tunic sleeve

I wear this tunic with light blue [same shade as the printed fabric base] leggings. I do tend to work with these colours quite often!

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-3

The pattern for yoke was similar to the sleeves, except for the dark pink details.

B&B kan-pattern yoke

Filling done on part of the squares.

B&B kan-y1

Triangles on the border worked with the same blue thread.

B&B kan -y2

After working with light blue thread and dull gold thread. The centre space is for the printed light blue fabric.

B&B kan-y3

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-2

The crosses done with dull gold cotton skein were worked with running stitch filling in dark pink thread.

B&B kan-s4

The medium shade blue thread was used for lining the oval shapes over the dark pink circles. These  were worked in stem stitch. light blue thread was worked on other part of the triangles on the squares and the border lines.

B&B kan-s5

Tiny antique beads were added inside the oval shapes. The picture is out of focus here.

B&B kan -s6

After completing the embroidery on the sleeves, they were placed on the printed light blue fabric which will the border the sleeves.

B&B kan -s7

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-1

I was inspired by tunics embellished by simple Kantha embroidery of Bengal. This embroidery was done mainly on sleeves and front of the tunic. The chosen tunic fabric was dark blue striped Mangalagiri handloom cotton. I had this block printed light blue fabric, which I used for the sleeve border and yoke.
The sleeves-
A geometrical border was drawn on graph sheet.

B&B kan-sleeve pattern

The used two strands of cotton skeins in two shades of blue, gold and dark pink. Kantha embroidery is running stitch worked on various patterns. The work looks like weave at some places. Starting with medium blue,

B&B kan-s-1

The triangles which form the square are also worked with this blue-

B&B kan-s2

Then moved on to golden colour skein

B&B kan-s3

 

Brown tunic with kasauti yoke-3

The kasuti yoke was completed after working  with light green thread.

brks-4

It took six hours to work this yoke. it was completed in three days. The tailor had given me the centre piece to work this embroidery. He also attached a green lace to the sleeves. The tunic-

brks-t1

The yoke-

brks-t2

The pattern -

brks-pattern

This tunic was inspired by chikan work tunics which are widely available in India. They come in pastel colours with chikan work done in the same colour of the fabric or more commonly in white. I wanted explore the effect of kasuti embroidery on a tunic. I am happy to see people interested in this work.
I wear this tunic with a printed[in green, white and brown] readymade Patiala salwar.

 

Brown tunic with kasauti yoke-2

This yoke is embroidered with double running stitch . this pattern is made of three broders. The outer border is also worked with medium green, leaving space for light green.

brks-2

Now working with light pink and golden yellow, the progress on the yoke-

brks-3

 

Brown tunic with kasauti yoke-1

This plain dark brown tunic was a soft cotton fabric. idael for hot climates. I wanted to do some embroidery on the tunic fabric itself. For this a pattern was drawn for yoke. this was based on kasauti embroidery from Karnataka, a state in India.

In Kasauti or kassoti embroidery,The geometrical patterns are worked with double running stitch. This way, the right and the wrong side look the same, ideal for sarees, dupattas, scarfs, stoles. Where the wrong side of the fabric is also visible while draping. They are also worked on even weave fabric s which are used as furnishings. To make this method possible, care is taken at the level of drawing the patterns .
This yoke pattern is one such kasauti pattern. Golden yellow,,two shades of pink and green were the colours used for this embroidery. I started with medium pink thread and moved on to medium green thread.

brks-1

 

Red , black,cream kutchwork tunic-3

I had mentioned earlier that this red fabric was block printed with the design -creepers in between parallel lines. Cream thread was worked on this fabric design. Running stitch was used for the lines and creepers and detached chain stitch was used for the leaves.

blrecrm-3

This embroidery on the print was done for the sleeves also.
After working these borders, the embroidered pieces were placed over the tunic fabric.

blrecrm-4

The tunic –

blrecrm-t1

The yoke-

blrecrm-t2

Yoke and sleeves-

blrecrm-t3

I wear black leggings for this tunic. I love working these three colours together.

 

Red , black,cream kutchwork tunic-2

Still my PC is not fixed. I am finding it difficult to adjust to this new computer. It’ll take another two days to fix my PC.
Pictures were not taken of the kutch work border in progress. Generally, I take pictures of my tunic projects after each colour. This helps me to study the effect of each colour on the project. I adapted this method and took the picture after completing this border.

blrecrm-1

Closer view of the border.

blrecrm-2

For the cream thread, the details on my next post.

 

Red , black,cream kutchwork tunic-1

I had this bright red tunic, block printed with vegetable dye . this was years ago. This red fabric had a curved creeper pattern between two parallel lines. I had worked a kutchwork border on the yoke with mirrors, they were done in black thread and I wore a black salwar[Indian pants] to match this yoke. I don’t have the picture of this old tunic.
I cut the yoke from the tunic . My niece got enchanted by this yoke, and attached it to some plain fabric and wears it. The red fabric without the yoke remained with me.
The present  tunic fabric is in black and cream.

blrecrm-tunic fabric

I felt the  black kutch work on red fabric would look great with this tunic,

so,I took this  old red tunic fabric , drew a new kutchwork border to be worked in black thread. I used the creeper design to work the cream thread.
The kutch work border pattern.

blrecrm-pattern

This design was drawn in between two broader lines on the red fabric.