Parsi Embroidery is a bronze age culture. Parsi embroidery originated in china and later got refined, through influence from Persia, China, India and Europe. Embroidery on famous Parsi Gara sari is usually dense, very intricate embroidery worked with satin stitch or just have a border with little sprays and considered to be Parsi family Heirloom. Most saris were red, black or purple in color.
Parsi motifs ,
Flowers like Lily, Lotus, Peony, Chrysanthemum which represents joy and spring season.
Trees like Weeping willow, Cherry, Pine, Bamboo.
Divine Fungus which symbols longevity and immortality, believed to protect children, so usually this was done on child's Jabla, shirt etc.
Birds like Cranes, Peacocks, Swans, Rooster.
Other motifs were like pheasants, pagodas, boats, Chinese architectural structure, human figures, scenes of typical Chinese society. Each embroidered gara saree has a story to narrate. It took around 8 to 9 months to complete one gara saree, very labor intensive and orbitant price.
Now a days authentic Parsi embroidery mainly worked using satin stitch is getting replaced with tambour needle. Satin stitch is worked using tambour needle or satin stitch is getting replaced with chain stitch worked using tambour needle to make it more cost effective, less time consumption.
Stitches used in Parsi Embroidery are satin stitch, famous Kha-Kha stitch, couching. Occasionally long and short is used.
In above picture center portion is worked with Kha Kha stitch also know as Forbidden stitch, peking stitch and also as Chinese knot.
Parsi embroidery is mainly worked with satin stitch, with its variations ie extended satin stitch, bound satin stitch, voided satin stitch giving it realistic effect and embossed satin stitch. Where as couching is usually worked for creepers or stem.
Above my work, keeping authentic parsi embroidery in mind, i worked with stylized way, whether its pattern or adding little gold jari using couching .
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| Parsi Embroidery |
Parsi motifs ,
Flowers like Lily, Lotus, Peony, Chrysanthemum which represents joy and spring season.
Trees like Weeping willow, Cherry, Pine, Bamboo.
Divine Fungus which symbols longevity and immortality, believed to protect children, so usually this was done on child's Jabla, shirt etc.
Birds like Cranes, Peacocks, Swans, Rooster.
Other motifs were like pheasants, pagodas, boats, Chinese architectural structure, human figures, scenes of typical Chinese society. Each embroidered gara saree has a story to narrate. It took around 8 to 9 months to complete one gara saree, very labor intensive and orbitant price.
Now a days authentic Parsi embroidery mainly worked using satin stitch is getting replaced with tambour needle. Satin stitch is worked using tambour needle or satin stitch is getting replaced with chain stitch worked using tambour needle to make it more cost effective, less time consumption.
Stitches used in Parsi Embroidery are satin stitch, famous Kha-Kha stitch, couching. Occasionally long and short is used.
 |
| Forbidden Stitch in middle (kha-kha stitch) |
In above picture center portion is worked with Kha Kha stitch also know as Forbidden stitch, peking stitch and also as Chinese knot.
 |
| Parsi Embroidery |
Parsi embroidery is mainly worked with satin stitch, with its variations ie extended satin stitch, bound satin stitch, voided satin stitch giving it realistic effect and embossed satin stitch. Where as couching is usually worked for creepers or stem.
Above my work, keeping authentic parsi embroidery in mind, i worked with stylized way, whether its pattern or adding little gold jari using couching .
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wow..that looks pretty...thank you for the info about the stitches
ReplyDeleteThank You Nima
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me what is a tambour needle? Also the kha kha stitch looks like French Knots worked very close together - is it correct?
ReplyDeleteTambour needle is nothing but same as aari work needle like steel crochet, a finer one. And Kha-Kha stitch is nothing but forbidden / chinese knot/ peking knot, which is similar to french knot. If u search in google as forbidden knot u will find the instructions. I worked forbidden knots very closely.
ReplyDeleteWow absolutely beautiful. Never seen kha kha stitch before
ReplyDeleteVery neat...would like to see a video of making this piece. Please post the link if theres already one!!!
ReplyDelete