Kashida

Origin/HistoryKashida embroidery originated way back in the Mughal period in Kashmir specially initiated by residents of Srinagar and was patronized by emperors and royal at that time and was only done by men.

FabricsCommonly used fabrics are- a.) Silk b.) Wool c.) Cotton

ThreadsCommonly used threads are – wool thread , silk thread , cotton thread , Yarn of synthetic fiber.

Stitches Outstanding feature of this embroidery is the fact that it is made with single thread , resulting in a flat formalized appearance.

a. The Satin Stitch: Used to cover large surface without pulling or puckering the cloth.

b. The Chain Stitch: Used in inferior pieces and never on an expensive piece of work.

c. The Stem Stitch: Used on the boundaries of motifs.

d. The Herring Bone Stitch:

e. The Darning Stitch:.

Colors

Most commonly used colors in shawls:a. White (sufed)b. Green (zingari)c. Purple (uda)d. Black (mushki)e. Blue (ferozi)f. Crimson (gulnar)g. Scarlet (kirmiz)

Motifs

Majority of motifs are inspired by the nature. Now the designs have been added depending upon the fashion and trend.

The motifs used are mainly birds, trees, flowers, fruits.

a. The bird motifs used are: parrot, wood pecker, canary, magpie and kingfisher.

b. The floral motifs are: Iris, lotus, lily and saffron flower.

c. The fruit motifs: grapes, cherries, almonds and apple blossoms.

All the motifs are used in variation of size, shape and color.

ProductsEarlier it was done on different types of shawls but now it has been widely used for dresses, sari, coat, jacket, kurta, muffler, veil, dupatta, turban, curtains, quilts, table linen, tea cozy covers, cushion covers, bed spreads, table mats, floor coverings.

Designers working with kashida Oscar de la Renta Naeem Khan

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