Surface Ornamentation Techniques

The Starry Night Project

Sequence/ Long and short stitch

Also known as thread painting or needle painting used for shading flower petals and birds feathers. The stitch of the first row are worked in such a way that they are alternately long and short.

Double chain and Couching

Stem stitch

A stitch forming a continuous line of long overlapped stitches. Typically used to represent narrow stems.

Chain stitch

A decorative sewing style embroidery in which each stitch is connected to the next so that they form a chain. Filling with chain stitch is called Kashida which is very popular and old type of hand embroidery.

Buttonhole stitch

It catches a loop of thread on the surface of the fabric and the needle is returned to the back of the fabric at the right angle to the original start of the thread.

Lazy daisy stitch

A.K.A Detached chain stitch is often used to give petal design and small floral patterns. It consists of single loop of chain than the continuous pattern.

Bullion stitch

It is worked by twisting the thread around a needle several times before inserting a needle into the fabric. Short bullion stitches are called bullion knots or french knots.

French knots

A decorative stitch made by winding the thread one or more times around the needle and drawing the needle back through the material at the point where it comes out.

Fly stitch

It is a basic surface embroidery stitch that can work single, scattered filling or in a rows. Horizontal or vertical rows can be done to create various effects.

Running stitch

The running stitch is the basic stitch on which all other forms of sewing are based. This worked by passing the needle in and out of the fabric without overlapping.

Straight stitch and seedling

Individual stitches are made without crossing or looping the thread and are used to form broken or unbroken lines. Series of tiny stitches taken at all angles and in any direction but of equal lengths.

Feather stitch

An embroidery stitch consisting of a line of diagonal blanket stitch worked alternately to the left and right. It can be used literally to make beautiful borders, horizontal and vertical fillings or curves etc.

Applique work and Pekinese

ornamental needlework in which piece of fabric is applied on another big piece of fabric with different stitches such as, buttonhole, running, back stitch etc.

Cross stitch

A stitch in which pair of diagonal stitches of the same lengths cross each other in the form of X.

Zardosi

This handwork is highly appealing and is always in trends. These are ideally used in variety of sarees and fabrics.

Whipped stem stitch

It normally consists of a line of stem stitches that have been whipped with the same or contrasting thread. It is easy to create the blend of two colours.

Open chain, Chevron and mirrorwork

Herringbone and Thorn stitch

Fishbone stitch

Spiderweb and Buttonhole wheel

Hair Embroidery

For this the thread is not stitched flat on the fabric. On the contrary the threads are tangling from the fabric.

Satin stitch and Dot stitch

A series of flat stitch that is used to completely cover the a section of the background fabric.This technique is widely used in close parallel rows. They are used for filling stitch as it gives appearance of satin. Dot stitch is made by taking a small portion of material on the needle and pulling the thread through.