Chikankari is a style of white-on-white surface embroidery that grew up in Lucknow, in present-day Uttar Pradesh, and is closely linked with the city's courtly culture. Traditionally worked with white cotton thread on fine, light fabric, it is now also stitched in coloured threads and on fabrics such as georgette, chiffon, chanderi, rayon and cotton.
“Lucknow Chikan Craft” is registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) in India, which recognises its link to Lucknow and the surrounding region.
The stitches
Chikankari is known by its stitches. A single piece may combine several of them:
- Tepchi — A long running stitch worked on the right side of the fabric, often used to outline a design or fill it with fine lines.
- Bakhiya (shadow work) — Worked as a criss-cross on the reverse of sheer fabric, so the design shows through as a soft shadow on the front. One of the most recognisable chikankari stitches.
- Phanda — Tiny knotted stitches, a little like grains, often used for the centres of flowers.
- Murri — A rice-grain shaped knot stitch, worked closely to give petals and leaves a raised texture.
- Jaali — Net-like openwork: threads of the fabric are eased apart with a needle — not cut — and held in place with stitches.
- Keel kangan — Small star or flower motifs built from radiating stitches.
- Hool — A fine eyelet stitch, often at the heart of a flower.
Work such as mukaish (fine metal-wire embellishment), gota patti or glass patti is sometimes added alongside chikankari for festive and occasion wear.
How a piece is made
- Cutting. The fabric is cut to the pattern of the garment.
- Block printing the design. The design is stamped onto the fabric with carved wooden blocks dipped in a washable ink, as a guide for the embroiderer.
- Embroidery. The printed lines are covered stitch by stitch. Depending on the density of the design, this can take days or weeks for a single garment.
- Washing and finishing. The garment is washed to remove the printed guide lines, then finished and pressed.
Hand embroidery or machine work?
Both exist, and both have their place — but they are different things. A few signs help tell them apart:
- Small irregularities. Hand stitches vary slightly in length and spacing; machine stitches are perfectly uniform.
- The reverse side. Hand embroidery shows the working of each stitch on the back (in shadow work, the criss-cross that creates the shadow); machine embroidery usually shows continuous bobbin thread.
- Knots and openwork. True phanda, murri and jaali are difficult to reproduce by machine.
- Blue marks. Faint traces of the printed guide lines can occasionally remain on new hand-embroidered pieces and wash out with the first gentle wash.
Every product page lists the fabric and type of work for that piece, so you know what you're buying.
Caring for chikankari
- Hand wash gently in cold water with a mild detergent, or dry clean pieces with mukaish or heavy embellishment.
- Do not wring or scrub the embroidery; press water out in a towel.
- Dry in the shade and iron on the reverse side, with a cloth between the iron and the embroidery.
Questions about a particular piece? Contact us or browse the collection.