Phulka

ri

A legacy of
passing thread
skills
Compiled by
Priyanshi Arora
BTEC HND LEVEL 5
Fashion and Textile

Phulkari
It is an authentic
Indian
Traditional
Embroidery done on
cotton
cloth
Khaddar with the
silk threads . The
inspiration is taken
from
flowers
in
geometric forms.

A "Tawayif" (Courtesan)
named "Ilahijan" - Circa 1900
(Patiala, East Punjab (now
India))

Video on Phulkari
C:\Documents and Settings\PRIYAN

KA ARORA\My Documents\Downloads\
Phulkari -- an old embroidery tr
adition.mp4

Introduction
Originated from Punjab
Literally meaning flower work
phulkari was a part of every important moment of

local life
A means of socializing
Purely a domesticartwhich not only satisfied their
inner urge for creation but brought color into dayto-day life.
Baghs are the garments made for special
occasions
Scattered work is called Aadha bagh
Work is done on white or yellow silk floss on
cotton khaddar with darning stitch
Work on the fabric starts from center on the fabric

An old picture
of
punjab
women
wearing
phulkari
dupattas
made
by
them

Examples of Phulkari
Silk threads used for
embroidery

Base cloth of Khaddar

History
Birth of this handicraft was basic necessity

and family culture and not artistic purpose

This was never fabricated for sale
On birth of a girl child, her grandmother use
to start making clothes for her
Finishing of a phulkari marked the stepping of
a girl into womanhood
Khaddar threads were the naturally loomed
dyed threads

Originality disappeared due to socio-

economic reasons and Indo-Pak division

Each regional group is identifiable by its
unique embroidery work
Phulkari word indicates shawls that were
loomed and embroidered to cover womans
head or to be displayed in Gurudwara
It is rural tradition of handmade
embroidery in north west India and
Pakistan during 19th century and early 20th
(geographically specific)

Motifs
Women developed various motifs with inspiration

from vegetables, flowers, animals they had

Karela, gobhi, dhaniya, mirchi bagh
Everything was inspired from the daily life
Lehariya bagh
(wave), satranga and pachranga
Mor bagh (peacock)
Most common and beautiful are inspired from
wheat/barley stalks
Recent new motifs are parantha (originally eight
colors), kanchan design, butti design

Leheriya Bagh

Parantha (depicting 8 colors)

Chag (Seieve)
design

Nau Aakein
(9 eyes)

Jewellery
design

Peacock motifs

Wheat and peacock

Kanchan design

Dhaniya (coriender)

COLORS
Done with vertical, horizontal and diagonal

stitches
No different shades are used for shading
purpose
Shiny thread reflects different shades in
different directions
Most favoured color is red and its shades
because bagh and phulkari are used during
marriage and festivals
Main colors are yellow, orange, red, green,
pink, blue and white
Other colors are brown, blue, black
White was used in bagh by elderly ladies

Different
shades of
colors used
in a
Phulkari
design

Process
Materials required
The stack
Done on cotton or khadi
Hand spun
Today duppatas can vary
from chiffon, georgette and
crape

The thread
Silk threads are of various
colors are used

 Ways of doing the embroidery

With the grid lines

Without gridlines,
called bolpuri

 Embroidery is done
from the back side.
Effect is seen on the
front

Phulkari embroidery back and front.

Some phulkari designs

are so bold that their front
and back looks identical
They are known a Kaeta
phulkari

Picture of kaeta phulkari

TECHNIQUES
Darning stitch,

commonly used
Narrowest the stitch,
finest the piece
For unusual purpose:
I. Herring bone stitch
II. Running stitch
III. Holbein stitch or
button hole stitch

Picture showing different stitched

Darning stitch
Making rows of

straightrunning
stitches near each
other
Used tomendtorn
clothes, especially
socks and looks like
awoven patch.

An example of Darning stitch

Herringbone stitch
This is the basic

herringbone stitch
made of crosses that
are not cut exactly in
the middle, but in
quarters.
Pictures depicting how herringbone stitch
is done

Running Stitch
This stitch is done by

running the needle

and thread up and
down the cloth at a
regular distance.
An example showing running stitch

Buttonhole stitch
used to securing

fabric edges.
it gives a much
sturdier stitch due to
the knots it makes
best done with a
slightly thicker
thread.

Pictures showing buttonhole stitch

process

VARIETY OF PHULKARI

Phulkari is present in various forms some of

them are:
I.
II.
III.

Bagh
Thirma
Darshan dwar

Sainchi
V.
Vari-da-bagh
VI. Bawan bagh
VII. Chope
VIII. Suraj mukhi
IX. Kaudi bagh
IV.

Meenakshi bagh
XI. Panchrangi
XII. Satrangi
X.

BAGH, THE GARDEN

Ceremonial
Garden of flowers
Embroidery so profuse

that ground color is not

visible
Embroidery becomes
fabric itself
Demand more time,
patience and material
increasing the
exposure
Status symbol
Pats colors: gold,

Bagh embroidery covering

full khaddar

THIRMA
North of punjab
White khaddar is

called thirma
Symbol of Purity
Elder women
widows
Ethical reasons too
Pat bright pink to
deep red tones
Includes clutches
and darning

White khaddar Thirma

DARSHAN DWAR
East of punjab
Gate through which

God is seen
Made for temples
as offering, after a
wish is fulfilled
Unlike other
Phulkaris, not very
big part in dowry
Human and animal
representation

Offered to God by couples

SAINCHI
South-east punjab
Art of narration
Local animals like

goat, cow, elephant,

big cat, peacock
Train for transportation
Depicts way of life
interest
Small area high
embroidery skills
Occupy unique
position in variety of
Phulkari

Sainchi narrating the life in

villages in 19th century

VARI-DA-BAGH
West Punjab
Gifted to the bride by

in-laws while entering

the house
Made on orange
reddish khaddar
except on border
Embroided with signle
golden or orange pat
Pattern 3-4 lozengas of
growing size with
different meaning
where outer symbolise

Vari-da-bagh different lozengas

BAWAN BAGH
East Punjab
Exact 52 patterns
Display of samples

of skills of
embroider patters
Rarest of all

Bawan bagh showing all 52

patterns

CHOPE
Embroidered on

borders
Gifted to the bride by
her grandmother
during ceremony
before wedding
Embroided with two
sided stitch making it
appear same on both
the sides
No variety of colors,
single golden or
golden-yellow mostly

Chope Phulkari

SURAJ MUKHI
West Punjab
Sunflower
Unique
Because it

comprises of holbin
and darning stitch
Comparable
proportion

Detail of Surajmukhi Phulkari

KAUDI BAGH
East punjab
Kaudi used as coins
Now sign of

humility
Worn when women
have chances of
becoming pregnant
Dress ornaments
made of Cowdies

Detail of kaudi bagh

MEENAKSHI (IKKA BAGH)

Gold white colored

pat
Small multi colored
lozengas referring
to meenakari
(enamel work) and
to diamond playing
card suit
A meenakari or ikka bagh

PACHRANGA AND SATRANGA

Pachranga bagh

(chevrons with five

colors)
Satranga bagh
(chevrons with
seven colors)

A panchranga bagh

Products Available

Suits

Duppatta

Sarees

Shawls

Other products

Potli

Tissue Box

Keychain

Footwear

Messengers

Laptop bag

Phulkari Today
Some associations are trying to keep it alive
Originality lost, industrially made
Punjabs villages washed out of their best

pieces
Easily available all over the world through
internet
Price rise of fine Phulkari and bagh in very big
proportions