Day 11 of 30
Day 11 · Week 2 · Craft Techniques
All white. All hand. Light muslin. Shadow patterns that show through.
🤍
White-on-white shadow work
WEEK 2 · CRAFT TECHNIQUES
Chikankari — White on
White, by Hand
32 hand stitches. Light cotton or georgette. The shadow effect from the back is the signature.
The Concept
Chikankari = white-thread hand embroidery on light cloth
Chikankari is Lucknow's signature embroidery. White cotton or silk thread, stitched by hand onto light muslin, georgette, or cotton — almost always white-on-white. The pattern is first hand-block-printed in washable blue ink, then embroidered, then the cloth is washed and the blue lines disappear, leaving only the white stitches. The shadow effect — where bakhia stitch on the reverse shows through faintly to the front — is the signature.
Block-print outline · Hand-stitch · Wash
= Chikankari
If you can see blue ink, it's not finished. If the back is messy, it's machine.
Visual Guide
The Four Core Stitches
Simple stitches → Most prized stitches
Outline work · cotton🌿 Daily wear
Filling work🌿 Daily wear
See-through detail🎉 Festive
Shadow on the front👑 Heirloom
Rice-grain shape · hardest👑 Heirloom
← Simpler stitchesMost skilled stitches →
Side by Side
The Four Core Stitches
➰
Tepchi
32
stitches
Tepchi
Outline · running stitch
🌿 CommonOutlinesFoundation
🌫️
Bakhia
SHADOW
stitch
Bakhia
Reverse herringbone
👑 SignatureShadow effectBack-stitched
🕸️
Jali
NET
effect
Jali
Cut-thread net
🎉 FestiveSee-throughNet pattern
🌾
Murri
RICE
grain
Murri & Phanda
Knot stitch · hardest
👑 SkilledGrain shapeTime-intensive
How to Spot Real Chikankari
| Tell-tale | Real Hand Chikan | Machine Imitation |
|---|---|---|
Bakhia from the front The shadow effect |
Faint, soft outline | Sharp or absent |
Back of fabric Stitch finish |
Slightly messy, knots | Clean mirror of front |
Stitch uniformity Across one motif |
Each stitch slightly different | Identical repeats |
Cloth weight Should feel light |
Soft muslin / georgette | Often heavier polyester |
Blue ink residue Mark of unfinished piece |
Should be gone after wash | May still show |
Number of motifs On a real piece |
Varied across kurti | Repeated stamp-perfect |
Put It to Work
How to Use This in Your Store
Your Brand Edge
Chikankari customers care about one thing — is it real Lucknowi or machine? Turn the kurti inside out. Real chikankari has visible knot ends and slightly messy stitches on the back. Machine work mirrors front to back. Then name the stitches you can see — "this is bakhia, that's the shadow effect, this rice-grain bit is murri" — and you become her expert for life.
"Bhabhi, dekhiye, white-on-white hai, looks simple — but this one motif has four different stitches: tepchi outlines, bakhia shadow at the back showing through, jali net here, murri grain here. Each stitch is a different artisan's specialty. Machine work would never look this layered. Yeh hand-Lucknowi hai."
Remember this always: Chikankari is white thread on light white cloth, all by hand, 32 distinct stitches with bakhia (shadow) and murri (grain) being the most prized. Flip the kurti — knots on the back = real; mirror image = machine.
Day 11 Quiz
Check What You Learned
3 questions · Mark your attendance · Keep your streak alive 🔥
Question 1 of 3
Chikankari embroidery is the signature craft of:
A
Jaipur
B
Bhuj
C
Lucknow
D
Banaras
Question 2 of 3
The 'shadow effect' in chikankari comes from which stitch?
A
Tepchi
B
Bakhia
C
Jali
D
Murri
Question 3 of 3
Real hand chikankari, viewed from the back, is:
A
Slightly messy with knots and thread-ends
B
A perfect mirror of the front
C
Completely blank
D
Coloured differently
Your WhatsApp Number
+91
Use the 10-digit number you have on this WhatsApp channel (no +91, no spaces) — this marks your Day 11 attendance.