Embroidery of Bihar

Embroidery

Embroidery of Bihar

Kashida embroidery of Bihar has different styles. It uses the jhinkana chain stitch. This stitch is done on personal garments and the filling-in is done by long and short satin stitches. Completely embroidered pieces are also found, in a variant of the bagh in phulkari. Bright coloured material is used and the stitches are in a contrasting white, yellow, or green thread. When the base material is white, then blue-black or steel blue threads are used. The motifs are mainly geometrical. In garments like caps and blouses, embroidery is combined with appliqué.
Other styles of embroidery include the sujni — similar to the kanthas of Bengal — where old worn saris are stitched together with white thread and quilted. The central part of the quilt is usually stitched together with coloured threads to create lively patterns. Khatwa, the appliqué patchwork of Bihar, is found on tents and shamianas, apart from on personal garments.
In the Mithila region, young girls of brahmin, kayastha, and harijan communities embroider coverlets, and children’s garments (in red, blue, and black, on bleached hand-woven cloth). The themes are mainly folk or religious and the main motifs are elephants and fishes, with lines, stripes, leaves, and flowers as borders.

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