Kashmir Embroidery

Kashmiri embroidery draws inspiration from nature. Birds, blossoms and flowers, creepers, chinar leaves, paisleys, lotus, and trees are the most common themes. The entire pattern is made with one or two embroidery stitches, and mainly chain stitch on a base of silk, wool and cotton. Kashmiri embroidery is known for the skilled execution of a single stitch, which is often called the Kashmiri stitch and which may comprise the chain stitch, the satin stitch, the slanted darn stitch, the stem stitch, and the herringbone stitch. The stitches include sozni (satin), zalakdozi (chain) and vata chikan (button hole). Other styles include dorukha, papier-mâché; aari chinar-kaam and Kashir-jaal and naala jaal which involves embroidery particularly on the neckline and chest/yoke of a fabric.