Sozni Antique Borders – Kashmiri embroidery~ – कश्मीरी कढ़ाई

All art draws inspiration from life or the artists unique perspective on life, even if its viewed from a prism. Embroidery as a craft, almost without exception, draws inspiration from nature. Kashmiri Sozni embroidery is vibrant with specific kinds of flowers, creeping-vines, Chinaar or Maple leaves, Kairi or Ambi, mangoes, the blooming-Lotus flower and the Bulbul, a small bird with a proud head, are the most common themes.

Visualize an artisan sitting on the floor, head down, knees bent, fabric over them, one hand holding the material with markings and the other holding so fine and small a needle that it would most certainly be lost if it fell out of his hand. With continuous, delicate, surgical-precision, he or she, picks at the fabric, moving from right to left, with a continuos maestro-like flair, re-creating silently and magically, the bounty of Nature. The outline is in white or black and then the colours are filled in,painstakingly, like gemstones in an inlay-technique. The borders here are of fine Pashmina wool and take months to make. These are applied to shawls, sarees or even drapes. Items of luxury and antiquity, these are used and re-used over generations. Source Online. Source Direct.

Picture Courtesy CraftsBazaar