Work In Progress Wednesdays-209

I am still working on projects this week. Generally, handloom cotton, silk, crepe fabrics are bought during trips to India. The season being cool here in Muscat, the silk and crepe fabrics are taken out for designing and embroidering. Some work is rich, intricate and time consuming. This year, even elaborate work is interesting.
Last week, the picture of the peach on cream chiffon was not clear. This picture shows the circles worked in detached chain and fly stitches. The chain outline is worked in two shades of peach silk threads.

This week’s progress is rope stitch on the stems and stone embellishment.

The work on navy blue blouse is faster because of closed herringbone filling. Realizing now, the gold metallic thread must have been harder to work, that is why it took so much time. Since it was repetitive, it was relaxing. The picture of the progress was not taken, because of the same motif.
A tussar silk in neutral colour is with the tailor for marking of neck and sleeves. The idea will be shared on next week’s post.

 

Work In Progress Wednesdays-208

I am working only on projects this week.
Another idea is tried out on navy blouse. The paisleys are filled with closed herringbone stitch with variegated metallic thread. The initial idea was to fill these in chain stitch, realizing the time taken for this project, decided to fill with closed herringbone. One motif done! 5 more to go.

The work on cream chiffon tunic started with tracing of the neck line on cream silk cotton fabric. Circles were drawn to work flowers. 7 detached chains and fly stitches are worked on the circles. This stitch arrangement is still in progress. The picture quality is not very clear.

I also found a lost project which I was searching for quite some time. This was a saree project. A few motifs were traced on one end of the saree, where it is draped over the left shoulder. This is called the pallu [Hindi] or thalippu [Tamil] of the saree. This saree was hidden in the wardrobe all this time.

 

Works In Progress Wednesdays-188

These past two days after the festivities were productive stitch wise.
I started on the Beyond TAST sampler. The earlier stitch samplers have to be looked into for  more stitch ideas.
Today the recent SSS challenge stitch sampler was also started. It is not a complicated stitch is my observation at this point. The possibility of doing it wrong or inventing a new stitch have to be considered!
Keeping aside the Kashmiri embroidery for the time being, a new embroidery project on an aqua green tunic fabric was started. The tailor had marked and given the tunic front. Started with stem stitch. The pattern is floral.

 

SSS. 44. Mille fleur stitch

A lovely name for detached  triple chain stitch. The method of working this stitch is on Queenie’s blog. Working this way gives more dimension to an ordinary detached chain stitch. So I worked the stitch on satin cloth, pattern taken from old pattern book.
The flower in two shades of blue with four strands of cotton skein.

The stems are worked in outline stitch.

The leaves are again  worked with mille fleur stitch.

Added small pearl beads inside the flowers.

This project was completed just before the tailor left for vacation. The worked satin fabric was sewn on the towel by him.

The old patterns which have detached chain options can be used for this stitch. Another option  is using this stitch with ribbon embroidery. A pretty and easy stitch for textural embroidery.

 

 

SSS. 35. Outline stitch

For the past few weeks, this challenge was kept aside to work on some tunic projects. The 35th week outline stitch of SSS challenge was worked on a blue striped shirt. The working of the stitch is on Queenie’s blog.

The outline stitch was worked in six strands of cotton skein.

The next step of working the flowers in oyster stitch has been started on this project.

 

Lemon green chikan work embroidery tunic

This is the second tunic with lemon green and white combination. This summer these two colours were predominant in the tunic embroidery projects.
The fabric is handloom cotton and the embroidery was done with white cotton skein and some details worked in white perle cotton #8. There are two design elements. The first element is borders which were worked on the sleeves.

lemgrechi-sleeves

The same border design was worked around the neck.

lemgrechi-neck

These designs were drawn by hand with a foot ruler. The pattern was drawn on the wrong side of the cloth and embroidery was also worked on the wrong side. The fabric being see-through, was placed on the pattern and the floral design was traced with a pencil.
Started the embroidery in the centre.

lemgrechi-1

The work in progress of the floral design. The shadow work/ chikan work/ closed herringbone was worked with four strands of cotton skein. I felt the thickness of the thread will make the embroidery more prominent.

lemgrechi-wip

After working the herringbone stitches in cotton skein, white perle cotton# 8 was used to work the straight stitches inside the petals. These straight stitches were worked on the right side of the fabric.

lemgrechi-2

The last detail of French knots worked on the flowers.

lemgrechi-3

After the completion of the embroidery the fabric was given to tailor for sewing. The tunic

lemon green chikan tunic

The detail.

lemon green chikan-det

It has been a while since I have done chikan work embroidery. It is easy to work, that’s a blessing. The embroidery needs to cover fairly a large area because of the subtlety of the work and the colours used. The pattern-

lemgrechi-pattern

This tunic does not have lining. If required a slip can be used. I have one in this green. Sometimes it is hard to get lining fabric in cotton in this place. Since a polyester fabric will take away the comfort factor, it is better to go without a lining.

 

Green and yellow on brown ikat

This brown ikat fabric was there for quite some time. The weave gave an impression of yellow. This brought about an idea of working the embroidery in yellow.

brgryel-fabric

Suddenly a green fabric popped into the picture and I started working the embroidery on it. The embroidery was mainly worked in herringbone stitch with a chain and buttonhole stitches thrown here and there.

brgryel-1

Then slowly brown thread came into the picture.

brgryel-2

Most of the herringbone shapes are now outlined in brown thread.

brgryel-3

After outlining the leaf shapes in green thread, variegated fine silk thread was used.

brgryel-4a

These details show clearly the places where variegated thread was used.

brgryel-4b

Continuing with gold metallic thread.

brgryel-5

Gold beads and sequins were added in the last part of this embroidery.

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The detail of the embroidery placed on the brown ikat fabric.

brgryel-7

I realize that the green fabric is overpowering. A slight shift had to be done, so a yellow cotton fabric was bought. This combo was given to the tailor and it came back like this.

brown green yelowtunci set

The yellow tunic.

brown green yellow tunic

Now for the detail. The embroidery and the sleeves have brown ikat fabric on them.

brown green yellow tunic detail

The embroidery pattern.

brgryel-pattern

This project taught me to be cautious before bringing in another colour [this case, green]. And if the deed is already done, start looking for ways to improvise, this case plain yellow fabric.

 

Beige maroon striped tunic

This type of tunic with simple embroidery is always in fashion. The tunic fabric is handloom cotton.

beimarstrit-fabric

I had another handloom [mangalagiri] cotton fabric with zari border. The pattern was drawn on that.

beimarstrit-1

The embroidery was worked with cotton skeins, metallic thread and stones were added as embellishments. Herringbone filling stitch was done in red thread.

beimarstrit-2

The same stitch was used with the beige thread too.

beimarstrit-3

The outline was done with gold metallic thread, worked like this it looks like Aari work. This I have to learn one day.

beimarstrit-4

The last part of this piece was completed with stones.

beimarstrit-5

The tailor did a good job of sewing this tunic, again I love the neck line. The extra zari borders were sewn on the sleeves.

beige maroon striped tunic

The pattern for this embroidery.

beimarstrit-pattern

The detail –

beige maroon striped tunic detail

 This tunic is worn  with maroon jeggings. The fabric feels very cool in summer. I feel the zari border played a big part in this tunic project.

 

 

White, grey blue tunic

This tunic fabric is cotton with block printed motifs in grey and blue colours wit border.

whigreyblu-fabric

The embroidery was worked with cotton skeins and metallic silver thread. First thread was grey. Herringbone stitch fillings and chain stitch outlines were done with this thread.

whigreyblu-1

Three shades of same blue were used. first was the medium blue thread. The stitches were the same.

whigreyblu-2

Again the fillings are done with herringbone stitches and the outlines in chain stitch.

whigreyblu-3

The lightest blue is used for outline.

whigreyblu-4

After working the embroidery with cotton skeins, the silver metallic thread was used to define the outlines and other smaller details.

whigreyblu-5

The last thread on this project was white cotton skein.

whigreyblu-6

This embroidered centre piece was sewn on to the tunic by the tailor, who did a great job on the neckline.

white grey blue tunic

The closer look of the tunic.

whigreyblu-detail

The pattern of this centre piece, based on traditional Indian design.

whigreyblu-pattern

This was a simple embroidery, I like working on traditional designs.

 

Green tussar tunic for blue green stole

In this project the embroidery was worked on a ready to wear tunic. The tunic was bought at a shop-FabIndia- which specializes on Indian handloom ethnic wear. The tussar silk stole with metallic block print-

greentussar-duppata

A tussar silk tunic to match this stole-

greetussar-1

A traditional Indian pattern-

greetussar- pattern

The threads were fine silk, cotton skeins and metallic gold. Started the embroidery with medium blue silk thread- chain stitch and herringbone.

greetussar-2

Darker blue silk thread for inner row of chain stitch and double herringbone filling.

greetussar-3

Green cotton skein for chain stitch on stem, leaf stitch.

greetussar-4

White silk thread used for chain stitch.

greetussar-5

Finally chain stitch embellishing was done with gold metallic thread.

greetussar-6

Detail-

greetussar-7

These Indian stoles[ dupattas] are quite long- 2.5 metres. They need to be worn over both shoulders, otherwise we’ll be sweeping the ground stylishly! This embroidery was worked in the centre just below the neck, where it can be seen. A small motif with all the colours on the duppata seemed ideal. This pattern works well for Aari work too.

Added later-

Queenie requested to see the embroidered tunic with dupatta.

The embroidered tunic with dupatta-

Greetussar-8

When the dupatta worn over both shoulders

greetussar-9

I use these plastic loops for embroidery. Remove them when they are not in use.

embroidery loops