Procedure of After cutting the fabric in required length, the designs are traced on the marked areas with blocks of a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. The block is dipped in neel (a chemical dye), which is mixed with glue and is soaked in cloth pads. The block is then printed on the desired area of the design. The embroiderer uses these printed outlines as a pattern and guide. These designs are embroidered by various stitches. The stitches used for chikankari are only that applied in regular embroidery. Tapichi (stem stitch ), bukhara (inverted stem stitch), are some of the popular stitches. Skill lies in rendering them in a specific way with the needles of the varying sizes. The stitches employed for this embroidery are pulled work, which create intricate patterns, locally known as jali work; the double back stitch; running and back stitch. No hooks or frames are used while embroidering. The left hand has to continually stretch the cloth gently weft ways and warp ways to avoid puckering. The jali work in particular is done with wide blunt needle. This needle makes the holes in the fabric with ease. Intricate floral designs are indigenously embroidered using white/coloured cotton thread, on sheer white or pastel coloured muslin, organza and these days some times silk. The ingenuity of chikan-kari, the art of surface ornamentation lies in deploying up to thirty-five stitches to embroider the floral, geometrical, animal patterns.
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