Cream kutchwork yoke on brown tunic-1

I was in India for my nephew’s wedding. After enjoying thoroughly, we returned to Muscat last week. But the routine is starting slowly. I‘ll post the details of the embroidery on bridal gifts after organizing the pictures.
Now for the details of this tunic, I had bought this salwar from FabIndia.

crky-br-fabric

A brown handloom cotton fabric with green streaks was chosen for the tunic. Generally I chose kutchwork motifs, borders drawn on graph paper, but for this tunic a freeform of kutchwork was worked with other stitches, beads and mirrors.
The kutchwork pattern on the yoke-

The neckline with paisley and central motif.

 

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

 

Embroidery, tunic, border pattern, bead work,own design

The tailor had given me the centre piece of the tunic fabric to work the yoke. I was eager to start the embroidery, but forgot to take picture after each thread. The threads used were cotton skeins and metallic threads in green and copper and gold. The yoke-

gregold-y1

The yoke after completion with beads and sequins.

gregold-y2

The pattern for the yoke-

gregold-ypattern

The tunic-

gregold-t1

Sleeves-

gregold-t2

Yoke-

gregold-t3

I wear this tunic with same yellow fabric of the borders. This kind of colour combination is typical of south Indian silk sarees. I love this tunic and enjoyed working on this.

 

Green tunic with beads-4

Sequins and beads were added to the outer borders worked in chain stitches.

gregold-s7

The borders are completed and were placed on the tunic .

gregold-sleeves

The border pattern

gregold-spattern

 

Green tunic with beads-3

Shades of green were worked with cotton skein and metallic thread. And now chain stitches were worked in light green thread on the florals on the pattern.

gregold-s5a

Completed with light green thread.

gregold-s5b

Small antique gold beads were added on the beads and florals.

gregold-s6

 

Green tunic with beads-2

After working the straight stitches and chain stitch lines with brown thread , the green on the tunic  fabric was the next thread. Chain stitches were worked with this thread.

gregold-s2

The thread next in line was dark green thread

gregold-s3

Leaves with metallic thread.

gregold-s4

 

Green tunic with beads-1

I had earlier worked a plain green tunic with zardoai work. I think I am fond of green and gold combination. This green tunic fabric is mangalagiri cotton with stripes.

gregold-tunic fabric

The  idea was to work a separate border on a golden yellow fabric for the sleeves and a small yoke pattern on the tunic. Chain stitches were used throughout this project. Antique gold beads and sequins were used. Threads were anchor cotton skeins and metallic.
The width of the borders was 8cms. Since this work was done on yellow fabric, the colours used were brown and green[s].starting with the dark brown colour. This was the colour of the stripes on the tunic fabric.

gregold-s1