1) AAHIR EMBROIDERY :

It Is a Flowing, Curvilinear Style, That Uses Motifs Such As Peacocks, Parrots, Scorpions, Elephants, The Milk Maid and Flowers.

The Outline of Design Are Done in a Chain Stitch Called 'Sankali', Filled in With A Herringbone Stitch Called 'Vana'.

Mirrors, Called 'Abhla' Are Used Frequently. The Outermost Detailed Stitch Is Called 'Kanta' Because Of Its Resemblance To The Commonly Found Babool Tree.

The 'Bakhia' Stitch Is A Detail Stitch Which Looks Like Ants Waling In A Row And The 'Dana' Stitch Can Appear Anywhere On The Design, Just Like Grain Thrown On The Map.

Designs Are Drawn Freehand And Transferred To The Cloth By Stencil. Contemporary Aahir Artisans Have Added To This Style, Using Signature Elements Such As A Frequent Use Of Teardrop Shapes.

Aahir Woman Are The Most Prolific Artisons And Have Been Proactive In Sharing Their Skills With Non Embroidery Communities.

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2)  AARI EMBROIDERY :

Aari Embroidery Is Done By The Mochior Cobbler Community.

It Is A Minute Chain Stitch Done By A Hook Which Is An Adaptation Of The Cobbler's Awl.

This Is Very Delicate And Floral Style Of Embroidery, Influenced By Moghul Designs.

By Using Subtle Gradation Of Colour The Figures And Motifs In The Designs Can Be Highly Representational.

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3)  DHEBARIA EMBROIDERY :

Designs Are Taken From Mythology And From Their Desert Surroundings.

They Use Glass Mirrors In Various Shapes: Round,Lozenge,Rectangular,Square,Triangular And Beak Shaped.

The Stitches Are Square Chain Interlaced With Buttonhole For Mirror Work,Single Chain,Knot,Romanian,Blanket Interlaced With Herringbone,Runnig And Double Running.

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4)  JAT EMBROIDERY :

There Are Two Styles Done By Diffrent Jat Communities.

Garasia Jat Embroidery Is Predominently Cross Stitch With Heavy Use Of Small Mirror.

The Outline Is Usually Done In White Before Being Filled In Embroidery Done By The Dhaneta/Fakirani Jat Are Tiny Bars Of Tight, Padded Satin Stitch With Radiating Circles Of A Couched Stitch.

Desiegn For Jat Embroidery Are Geometric, Not Representational And Must Be Done On Loose Weave Fabrics.

The Design Cannot Be Pre Drawn And The Craftsman Makes Decesions Regarding The Gepmetry Of Each Piece Before She Begins.

Traditionally, All Of The Fabrics Given Is Covered And The Base Fabrics Cannot Be Seen At All.

Consequently, This Is The Most Labour Intensive, And Expensive Form Of Embroidery.

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5)  KABIRA AND KHUDI TEBHA EMBROIDERY :

These Embroideries Are Done By The Harijan Communities Living On The Banni Grassland Track, On The Edge Of The Great Rann. Kambaria Embroidery Is A Stepped Running Stitch Style, With An End Result Similar To Some Muslim Architectural Motifs.

Khudi Tebha Is A Simple Running Stitch, Which Is Interspersed At Regular Intervals With A Small Diamond Shape Which May Or May Not Be Filled.

Both Style Are Used Mainly For Quilting.

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6)  KHAREK EMBROIDERY :

Kharek Embroidery Is Done By The Sodha,Rajput And Megwar Communities.

Kharek Embroidery Is First Counted Out In Black Double Running Stitch,And Then Filled In With Satin Stitch, The End Result Is Of Clusters Of Bar Like Shapes.

Artisans Who Do Kharek Work Understand Embroidery, Stitich, And Motif As One Cohesive And Indivisible Unit.

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7)  MUTWA EMBROIDERY :

Mutwa Embroidery Is Very Highly Prized Style Practised By Muslim Herders Who Live In Only 11 Villages Of The Banni Districk Of Kutch.

There Are Sub Style Of Mutwa : Mukko, Chikan,Chopat,Katri & Gotanv.

Often Minute Renderings Of Other Local Styles They Use Combinations Of Chain, Square Chain, Reverse Chain, Romanian,Knot, Satin, Double Running, Lazy Daisy, Herringbone,  And Hemming Stitches.

Mirrors Are Frequently Used And Held In Place With An Interlace Stitch. Mukko Embroidery Uses Metallic Threads Couched On To A High Quality Fabric, Such As Silk.

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8)  NERAN EMBROIDERY :

Neran Embroidery Has Recently Been Singled Out As A Seperate Style.

It Was Originally A Stitch Used In Conjuction With Kharek, And Pakko Embroideries.

Neran Literally Means Eyebrows, And Are Units Of Button Hole Stitch Formed Into A Curved Shape.

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9)  PAKKO EMBROIDERY :

Pakko Embroidery Is Done By The Sodha, Rajput & Megwar Communities.

Pakko Literally Means Solid. The Designs And Motifs Are Very Similar To Aahir,But Slightly More Geometric.

The Outline Is Done With A Square Chain Stitch, But The Filling Is A Dese Variation Of Buttonhole Stitch, Which Gives A Raised Appearance.

Mirrors Are Used Frequently. Like Aahir The Original Design Is Drawn Freehand And Then Transferred To The Cloth By Stencil.

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10)  SOOF EMBROIDERY :

Soof Embroidery Is Also Done By The Sodha, Rajput And Megwar Communities.

It Is A Counted Thread Styles Using Only One Stitch Also Called Soof, Meaning 'Neat And Clean'.

The Designs Are Highly Geometric, With A Predominance Of A Chevron Design Called 'Leher Or Waves. Any Representational Motifs Are Highly Stylised.

The Surface Satin Stitch Is Worked From The Back Of The Fabric By Counting The Weave Of The Fabric And Inserting The Needle Of Regular And Designated Intervals.

The Designs For Soof Embroidery Cannot Be Pre Drawn And Are Left To The Discretion Of The Individual Craftswomen, Who Need A Good Grasp Of Geometry To Work Out Their Designs.

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