Chikankari is subtle embroidery, white on white, in which minute and delicate stitches stand out as textural contrasts, shadows and traceries. Some stitches are worked from the back and some from the front. In a unique, anokhi chikan, the stitches do not appear at the back. The fabric used is fine, and traditionally muslin. Chikan appears to have been derived from the Persian word chikin or chakin, meaning cloth wrought with needlework. It was originally a court craft having been introduced by the Mughal empress Noorjahan. There were chikankaars in the courts of Kolkata, Delhi, Dhaka (Bangladesh), Gaya, Varanasi, Allahabad, Rampur and Bhopal. In Lucknow, the Nawabs of Avadh made the finely embroidered muslins a prescribed requirement of the ceremonial court. A single piece of Chikan relies on many skilled craftsmen, designer, printer, embroiderer, washerman. Traditionally, different artisan families practiced and perfected one type of stitch and it would, therefore, often take between three to four craftsmen to embroiderer a single garment. Bakhiya, herringbone stitch, done on the reverse of the fabric, gives a shadow effect that became a dominant feature of the craft in the 1980s. Traders flooded markets with coarsely executed work and thoughtless design diversifiction had eroded the sensibility of the craft. The sensitive design intervention of organizations such as Dastkar and SEWA, were crucial in reintroducing finely crafted stitches such as murri, phanda, eyelets and a variety of jaali. This has improved the quality of craftsmanship and the livelihoods of craftspersons.

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The craft, generally practiced in Kashmir, is today known by three different names – Crewel, Ari and Chain stitch embroidery. Essentially, these are variations of the same embroidery, with the same stitch and method; the only difference is in the use of material, the density of the stitch and the fineness of the work. The design is printed on the fabric at the block markers with wood and metal blocks. Crewel work designs are much larger than other embroidered fabrics. In crewel work, the ground fabric, traditionally rough cotton, is left bare except where the pattern is embroidered with wool. The wool can be either natural or dyed. The Chain stitch embroidery differs from crewel work in that it covers the entire surface of fabric. This makes the stitches very dense and heavier suitable for floor covering or wall hangings. The ari work is much finer than crewel or chain stitch embroidery and is primarily used for clothing and accessories. The embroidery is done with staple yarn, with the occasional use of wool or silk, and the ground is never completely covered. Traditionally, designs for embroidery were printed with wooden blocks, but now tracing paper or sheets of lacquered polyester are used. The designs are traced on to these sheets and the lines of the design perforated. These sheets are placed on the fabric and black soot-like powder mixed with kerosene is rubbed through the perforations on to the fabric. Once the design is printed on the fabric the wool is dyed according to the design. Crewel embroidery covers only the areas with patterning while chain stitch embroidery covers the entire surface area of the fabric.

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In spite of its harsh climate and tough terrain, Barmer (Rajasthan) is famous for its many crafts, dance and music. It is a centre for wood carving pottery, woven floor coverings, embroidery, blocks printed fabrics, patchwork and appliqué, traditionally called ‘Ralli’. The French term used for applied work, ‘applique’, signifies the process of attaching one fabric or motif to a foundation fabric by means of stitches, to form a design or a pattern. The patches are stitched on to the foundation fabric to create different form and patterns, unlike patchwork in which small pieces of cut fabric are joined at the edges to make a larger piece of cloth. The commonly used rallis are for household coverings and richer ones for the girls’ dowries. Then there are wall hangings and canopies used for processions and on festive occasions. Small square quilted pieces are used as storage bags in which wedding gifts such as jewellery or cosmetics are presented. A bag called the Koran bag is used by the Muslim community to keep the Holy Scripture. Women in almost every rural household in Barmer know how to make rallis. Traditionally, they use layers of cotton cloth, old clothing and sometimes inexpensive muslin purchased to supplement the available fabric. Pieces of fabric cut in different forms are stitched on to a foundation fabric. Sometimes the cloth is folded in quarters and cuts are made through all the layers of the fabric. The result is a design that is symmetrical on all four corners of the applique. The vibrant ralli has diversified into products for the contemporary market like clothing, cushion covers, bags, garden umbrellas, curtains, bed covers, canopies and wall hangings.

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The exquisite mirror work embroideries have a place of pride amongst Kachchh’s embroideries. The herding and farming communities of the region especially Ahir, Soda and Mutwa Muslim clan are responsible for producing extremely fine quality mirror-work embroideries. The Ahir, who are traditional nomadic pastoral cowherds and claim to be descendents of Lord Krishna has distinctive feature of outline of design being done in chain stitch in their embroidery. The herringbone stitch is used as filler. The design are drawn free hand and the mirrors, called Abhla, are used frequently. Motifs like peacocks, parrots, scorpions, elephants, flowers are common. The Soda community practices what is known as ‘pakko’ (solid) embroidery. It is said to be so durable that it usually outlasts the fabric it was embroidered on. It is a dense variation of a two sided button hole stitch, giving it a raised three-dimensional appearance. Mirrors are used frequently with bakhia, a detail stitch that resembles ants walking in row. The dana stitch, which looks like grain of rice, can appear anywhere on the design. The Soda embroider vibrantly coloured skirts, blouses, head veils and wall hangings, including the ‘pichhwai’ temple hangings for Krishna shrines, as well as animal trappings. The Mutwa Muslim clan also produces extremely fine mirror-work embroideries. Their embroidery is characterized by tiny stitches on silk or satin. A variation of the Mutwa embroidery is the mukko, style which uses metallic thread with mirrors, on high quality silk.

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The Kantha of Bengal made of the most humble materials – recycled cloth and thread from old saris and dhotis – was born out of a basic necessity, thrift. Original Kanthas were used as quilts for babies or older people and made with love and care by the women of rural families, with the aesthetic reflecting the rich tradition of Bengal folk art. Kanthas were also intensely personal and reflected the longing in the women and their reflection of the world around them. A daughter would make a Kantha for her father, a wife for her husband and a mother for her baby. Trade in these was unheard of. Invariably, a Kantha was dedicated by daughter to father, or by wife to husband. The white cotton fabric of old saris and dhotis was first pieced together to form the ground with several layers used to make up the required thickness. The coloured threads used for the needlework were patiently unpicked from the borders of the worn-out garments. Designs were often based on human figures, animals and scenes from local life such as rath, temple cars, in predominantly Hindu areas and more abstract patterns in Muslim areas. Central lotus medallions and corner kalkas, paisley or mango motifs or tree forms were prominent features of many types, while others had simpler designs incorporating border patterns running the length of the field. The purely abstract lotus designs are clearly linked to the auspicious alpona, floor decorations, made by women as protective devices at the threshold of their houses. Although traditionally a strictly utilitarian domestic product, the Kantha has now reemerged as an item of urban apparel and interior design made from new rather than recycled materials. Modern day Kanthas have become a style of embroidery rather than the many-layered utility covering. When making a traditional Kantha the embroiderers first lay out pieces of cloth, the best pieces form the surface and those more worn, the interior. The embroidery is started at the centre, usually with the traditional lotus medallion, the darning stitches worked through all the layers of the fabric to form a pattern on both back and front of the quilt. When the medallion is completed, the embroiderers work outwards, adding the surrounding motifs and consolidating the firmness of the quilt as the work proceeds. The quilt is divided into panels. After the embroidery of the motifs is complete, the intervening ground is quilted in running stitch in white. The embroidered border, one of the last stages, is always closely worked to make a firm edge to the quilt. Kanthas were used as a bed cloth, cradle cloths, shawls and for many other domestic purposes. The finest examples came from Eastern Bengal and were made by women of comparatively prosperous families, the work of the Kayastha caste being particularly distinguished.

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A Patchwork or "pieced work" is a form of needlework that involves sewing together pieces of fabric into a larger design. The larger design is usually based on repeat patterns built up with different colored shapes. These shapes are carefully measured and cut, straight-sided, basic geometric shapes making them easy to piece together. Precise joining makes for patchwork that lies flat without puckers. When used to make a quilt, this larger patchwork or pieced design becomes the "top" of a three layered quilt, the middle layer being the batting, and the bottom layer the backing. To keep the batting from shifting a patchwork or pieced quilt is often quilted by hand or machine using a running stitch which can outline the individual shapes that make up the pieced top, or the quilting stitches can be random or highly ordered overall patterns that contrast with the patchwork composition. In the past hand quilting was often done in a group around a frame. Instead of quilting, the layers are sometimes tied together at regular intervals with pieces of yarn, a practice known as tying or knotting. There are three traditional structures used to construct a patchwork or pieced composition: 1) block, 2) overall, and 3) strip piecing. Traditional patchwork has identifying names based on the arrangement of colors and shapes.

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