Free Online Kasuti Embroidery Tutorial Sample 1.3 - Closed Design

If you're here today, it means you've you didn't have any major hassles with turning corners in the previous sample. You are ready to learn how to work a closed motif. This is the last sample of this session..

1. Copy the design to your graph paper and transfer it to fabric.

2. Start at point '1' and continue working using the numbers to guide your path until you reach '48'.

3. Now for the return trip. Point '1' in the forward journey, becomes point 'a' in the return trip. Bring the thread up at 'a' and follow the path laid out by the letters and finish at the point indicated by the arrow (point 2 in the forward journey).

Try working the same pattern using a single colour.

Let me know what you think of this. If you have doubts, leave a comment. Also post pictures of your work in your blog and send me the link.

We'll end this session with an assignment - The Serpent Coil Border. It's simple enough. So, I am not giving a step by step.

Let me know how you are doing.

Free Online Kasuti Embroidery Tutorial Sample 1.2 - A Simple Corner Design

This is the 2nd design in the Kasuti free online lesson. I have used two colours to distinguish the first trip from the return trip.

If you observe the design carefully, you'll notice that I have chosen a design with diagonal lines for this lesson.  But for that, it's basically similar to the first design. Turning the corner could get a bit confusing in the onward journey. Don't think too much. First draw the design on an inch graph and then transfer it to fabric  and start working. Just follow the numbers I've used.

1. Take a careful look at the design once again. The diagonal lines are orange when you start.  But once you turn the corner, they are green. This could confuse you a bit.
2. But this is simply because the diagonal lines are worked initially and left to be worked on the return trip once you turn the corner.
3. To fully understand this, work the pattern once in 2 colours and then once more using a single colour.

If you have any trouble following instructions, leave a comment and I'll help you out.

Enjoy.

Free Online Kasuti Embroidery Tutorial Sample 1.1 - A Simple Pattern

I learnt the basics of kasuti on Aida matty and later graduated to using fine even weave net. But over the years, I've seen a lot of professionals stamp the design directly on fabric and start embroidering. With a little patience and practice, the same perfection can be effected, no matter what you use as the base gird. These tutorials explain the nuances of Kasuti designs. Once you grasp the fundamentals, you'll be able to attempt complex patterns.

The stitch used in Kasuti is called Holbein stitch in European Embroidery. The thing I love most about embroidery is, you'll find that the same styles of embroidery go by different names in different corners of the world. Only the motifs and colour combinations are different. Black Work is a case in point. Now, how did that come to be? Was the basic style globalized by ancient travelers?

Note: I'll be using the words journey and trip interchangeably throughout these sessions. Now, let's move on to the first lesson. 

Click on the picture to enlarge. Copy the design in fig.3 to an inch graph. I have used two squares per line for ease of reference. The standard stitch length is 1 square. Transfer the pattern to fabric using an yellow or white carbon (blue and black carbon leave ugly marks on fabric). Both the inch graph and the carbon sheets are available in wholesale stationery shops.

Work the design in 2 trips. The sample above is self explanatory. But I've also explained the steps

1. The onward journey in fig. 1, is worked from left to right.

• Bring the needle up at 1 and take it down at 2. Bring it up again at 3 and so on...
• Finally bring it up at 49 and take it down at 50.
• Fig.2 is what the embroidery will look live on the reverse of the the fabric.
• I have given corresponding numbers to the lines in the fig. 2.

2.  The return journey starts from right to left; it starts starts where the forward journey ends.

• The 51 of fig. 3 is the same point in the fabric as 49 of fig. 1.
• 52 of fig. 3 is the same point as 48 in fig.1.
• Keeping working until you are back where you started - Point 98 in fig.3 = point 2 in fig 1. Fasten thread and cut.

3. The completed design looks like the third image. I've used 2 colours here to distinguish between the onward and the return journey. Continuous Kasuti patterns are usually worked in a single colour.

Here's a worked example of a variation of the pattern above.

If you have any doubts, you can post a comment and I'll clear your doubts. Also, suggestions to improve the course are welcome.

Enjoy.