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There were some big tapestries in this museum. This one was a small one compared to them. It was easier to take a picture too. I liked the details on their clothing.

embroidered panel

There was also a needle lace sampler. I am yet to learn this work [sigh!]. the whole sampler-

needle lace sampler1

The top part-

needle lace sampler2

It was hard to take a picture without getting the light and our image-

needle lace sampler3

I had worked this stitch sampler during an earlier challenge. The method of working this stitch on Sharon’s blog. I have tried some stitch combination this time. Annet has also posted some of this stitch explorations on her blog.
Now for the details of this stitch sampler-
1.Two siennese stitches are worked together on the bar in this first row. I tried to work this stitch over the arrowhead stitches in the second row. This idea can be worked better! The third row has chain stitch over siennese stitches.

35.83.siennese st-1

2. The first row of siennese stitches worked on both sides was taken from Annet’s idea. She has also drawn how it was worked. The second and third row have two ways of working siennese stitches over buttonhole stitch and basque stitch.

35.83.siennese st-2

3.The siennese stitches are worked over- chevron stitch, cretan stitch and feather stitch variation.

35.83.siennese st-3

4.Berry stitches are worked between siennese stitches in the first row, Pekinese stitch variation or lacing and pistil stitches are worked with siennese stitch in the second row and zigzag coral stitch and french knots are worked with siennese stitches in the third row.

35.83.siennese st-4

This stitch sampler was completed with these stitch combinations.

35.83.siennese sitch sapler

The stitch was easy but it was hard to fix the loop in the centre. I enjoyed working on this sampler.

This was an exhibit that was part of the textiles at Burrell collection, Glasgow, Scotland. We were on a short visit.
There were these mirrors with embroidered frames. I think the embroidery was done on satin silk and never have I seen or read anything like that before. I was quite enchanted with it.
The top portion of the mirror-

Burrell collection-emb on mirror1

Castle, plants, animals, trees and people were all embroidered on to this.

Burrell collection-emb on mirror2

The bottom part of the mirror, which also had animals, garden and plants.

Burrell collection-emb on mirror3

Another view of the same mirror.
This definitely inspired me, now all I need is the motivation!

I wear a indigo blue salwar[readymade] to match this tunic.

kutch work on olive green and indigo tunic

The sleeves also have a lace border.

kutchwork on olive green and indigo tunic-sleeves

The yoke with indigo blue pipin.

kutchwork on olive green and indigo tunic-yoke

Though the sleeves has a continuous kutchwork pattern, the yoke pattern can be worked with many colours, the yoke pattern can also be used for sleeves and shoulder panels. just suggesting some ideas.
I tried medium pink thread and light blue to work the embroidery. I would like to see other combinations, or maybe some better colours used on this olive green and indigo fabric.
If someone tries, please post the link on the comments.
The tunic fabric, since it is handloom and vegetable dyed, feels so comfortable on the skin [especially during hot humid summer] and the fabric also drapes well.

this is simple kutchwork pattern to work. try it and if it poses a problem, state them  on the comments. let me see if  can do anything about it.

Happy stitching.

The simplified version of the sleeve kutchwork work pattern was drawn for the centre.

oligreenindigokutch-pattern

The inside part of the three squares were worked first. The picture shows the working on the outer edges, this was done in one continuous journey for each element.

oligreenindigokutch-yokewip1

After completing the interlacing on the pattern-

oligreenindigokutch-yokewip2

The outline for the mirrors done in chain stitch.

oligreenindigokutch-yokewip3

The yoke after working the mirrors in light blue.

oligreenindigokutch-yoke

The sewn tunic on my next post.

Whenever a tunic made of two or more fabrics it inspires me to design something ethnic. With this purpose in mind two fabrics were chosen. They were block printed with vegetable dye.
Sometimes the colour of the dyes gives the print a name- kalamkari. Kalam means pen. kari means work. I have seen a kalamkari artisan drawing on a fabric.
The fabrics of this tunic was commercially block printed with the same vegetable dyes. The tunic was made of three panels, the centre in olive green and the sides in indigo. And the sleeves were also in olive green.
The kutchwork patterns were individually drawn for the centre and the sleeves with spaces for mirrors.
The detail of the sleeves.
The pattern-

oligreenindigokutch-sleevepattern

The kutchwork was done in medium pink on dark blue fabric. The mirrors were worked in light blue thread. All the intersecting squares were worked in the first stage.

oligreenindigokutchsleeveswip1

The outlining journey and interlacing

oligreenindigokutchsleeveswip2

The olive green squares in chain stitch

oligreenindigokutchsleeveswip3

The completed sleeve panels

oligreenindigokuthcsleeves

The details of the yoke and the tunic on my next post.

I had this plain handloom mangalagiri tunic in red. This was to be a short tunic or kurthi to be worn with black jeans. There was also a semi white fabric block printed with red borders. I had asked the tailor to mark the places for embroidery, namely, the sleeves and the neckline, which he did.
The embroidery pattern-

redmironredtunic-pattern

This pattern was the sleeves and a part of it was for the centre of the kurthi, below the neckline. The kutch work pattern and the mirrors were all worked with red thread. The mirrors inside the squares were outlined with black thread and the rest of the mirrors were outlined with peach silk thread. The centre-

redmironredtunic-centre

The pictures were taken after the tunic was sewn by the tailor. The border on sleeves.

redmironredtunic-slborder

The embroidery on sleeves-

redmironredtunic-sleevesemb

The tunic-

red mirrors on red tunic

The fabric being handloom cotton was slightly transparent, the tailor wanted to attach a lining fabric for this, which I convinced him was not necessary. After a wash, it was no more transparent. There was a concern about the red running into the white borders which fortunately did not happen.

Though I have a fondness for handloom cotton fabrics for my tunics, once in a while silk fabrics beckon me. This  silk fabric has red floral prints on it.

printed silk tunic fabric

I wanted to use gold beads and stones on the yoke, which was a dark green fabric.  A simple geometrical motif repeat was chosen. Red, peach, dull gold silk threads were used for embroidery. The yoke-

bead work yoke in green fabric

The tunic with an interesting neck line.

printed silk tunic

This type of embroidery which is done commercially with aari needles, will be seen on tunics , saree borders, blouses in India. The embroidered piece looks grand on plain silk fabrics.

The sampler was completed after working some stitch combinations. Working this stitch in a straight line is skill I am yet to acquire!
7.The Spanish feather stitch rows are combined with detached chain stitches and whipped and laced running stitches.

34.82.spfeast-7

8.zigzag chain stitch, slipped detached chain stitches ,french knots and fly stitch variations are worked with spanish feather stitch in this part of the sampler.

34.82.spfeast-8

The whole sampler with not straight Spanish feather stitch samples-

34.82.spanish feather stitch sampler

The second part of the Spanish feather stitch sampler-

34.82.spanish feather st-sampler2

3.The first row is also long and short Spanish feather stitch and half cretan stitch was worked through this stitch in the second row.

34.82.spfeast-3

4.The Spanish feather stitch rows are first whipped and then laced in these samples.

34.82.spfeast-4

5.Spanish feather stitches were worked over-buttonhole stitch, feather stitch and herringbone stitch in these rows.

34.82.spfeast5

6. Spanish feather stitches are worked over- cretan stitch, chevron stitch and zigzag coral stitch in these samples.

34.82.spfeast-6