Gopuram Stitch Tutorials-Part II

My first part was only the basics. My grand mother taught me these flowers. If I remember correctly, these flowers were stitched with a white thread (coarse cotton yarns) on her velvet blouses usually of dark colours. The flowers had 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8 petals with a mirror in the center or sometimes a chain stitch  or French knots or satin stitch in the center of the flower. These were used as motifs on the back, around the neck and hem of the sleeves. They were also worked on pillow covers(minus the mirrors) and cloth bags, door curtains etc.

 I learnt them from her much later. Here are some samples I worked out:

3 petalled flower 

7 petalled flower

Here I have anchored the last stitch with French knots and bullion stitch. Sorry my bullion stitch are not state of art work especially when I am working with wide eyed needles :) :).

Some more patterns I have worked for my sampler.

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Kundan Ear Rings

Kundan Jhumkis or danglers are in fashion now. They are available in many colours.I picked up Red and Golden Yellow as they will match any silk or other brocade saris. These are looking stunning.

I also picked up blue coloured one but gave it off to my sister. I will take a snap of it if possible and post it some time. I could not lay my hands on  green set though. Before I could pick it up, some one else snooped on it ...:) :) perhaps better luck next time.

I picked up smaller ones. actually these days huge and heavy danglers in many shapes glittering with stones are in fashion. They are too heavy, meant for party wear and I don't like to look so decked up. Since they are heavy, one has to use chains to support them. So I picked up simple and small ones which also cost very less.

Watch out for more.......

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Gopuram Stitch Tutorials

Friends, I was going through some of my very old doodling clothes on which I used to practise my embroidery stitches learnt from various sources and came across this stitch.


I have learnt many from my maternal Grandma. In her childhood she studied in a school run by nuns. Such schools were called as Convents by the local people. My Gran was very proud of having studied there. Her English was impeccable. Well she learnt embroidery, crochet, sewing etc in her school. She had a very good knowledge of embroidery stitches not only the Indian ones but also those from across the world.We grand children used to sit with her and talk about her school days. We also used to learn embroidery and crochet from her. She had good memory and even after 70 years or so, she could tell us the name of the stitch both in English and local language. But alas at that time I never bothered to note down those names. 


Here is one of the stitches I learned from her. She named it as Gopuram Stitch. Gopuram means Temple dome. She was not sure from where she learned this nor the name of the stitch. When she taught me I remarked that this stitch reminded me of a temple dome-so we named it as Gopuram stitch. We used to (re)name many stitches to remember them easily--:)...:)...

If any one knows about the origin or name or any other information about this stitch, please let me know. I have not come across any similar stitch so far. Though it looks like an inverted Feather Stitch.

I have tried to put it down properly for you as tutorials:


The stitch belongs to Chain Stitch or Looped Stitches family. It can be stitched on any fabric-that is this is not a counted thread stitch.


STEP-1

Fig-1

This is how the stitch goes. I have marked the points for illustrative purpose. When we actually stitch we need no marking.

STEP-2

Fig-2

Bring out the needle up through the fabric from underside at point 'A'.

STEP-3 

Fig-3

STEP-4

Fig-4

Now insert the needle  at 'B' a little away from 'A',  going under the fabric and come out at 'C'. Loop the thread from left to right from under the needle forming a loop. Now pull the needle to get the first stitch or loop.

This is almost like a chain stitch, except that that in chain stitch we insert needle at A where as here we leave some space in between. 

STEP-5

Fig-5

STEP-6  
Similarly make another loop from 'F' to 'G'. 

Fig-6

Now again make a loop by entering at 'D'  a little away from 'B' and coming out at 'E'.


STEP-Final

Anchor with a little straight stitch at 'H'. We have completed the basic part of the stitch. it should look like this one as shown below.

Fig-7

SOME TIPS:

The points A, B, D and F should be equidistant from each other. I have put more space between points, A,B,D and F (Fig-6)so that the stitch is clear to you. 


Similarly points C, E, G and H should also be equidistant from each other. 


Also notice that point 'C' should be a little to the right of A and so on and not mid point of A and B. That is the original stitch taught to me (a part of it). 


Actually there is more to the stitch I learnt. I will be posting it in my next post.


Here I have tried to vary the stitch for my sampler. 

Fig-8

In the stitch at 4, I have placed points C, E, G and H as mid point of A-B, A-D and so on. In 5, I have placed them to (almost) right side.

Fig-9

I have used beads (2) and cut glass beads (3). In 4 above I have anchored the stitch with a chain stitch.

Fig-10

Here the stitches shown at 1,2 and 3 are not correct. I was just practising on a doodle cloth before I got it correct at 4. See 8 and 9, I was trying to build up a pattern.




BEST SUITED FOR:


As a border around the necks, sleeves and hems of blouses, kurtis or tunics, skirts for decorating CQ blocks and on pillows, cushion covers, saris etc.


I am still practising the stitch and trying to build up a sampler. The best part is yet to come. So watch out for more...


Practise the stitch and please do mail me your innovations with the stitch so that we all can share them...

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