r/Hand_Embroidery

I work at a small embroidery atelier in India that focuses entirely on traditional hand embroidery — Lucknowi Chikankari, Zardozi, and Mukaish work — applied to garments like Abayas, Kaftans, and Jalabiyas.

I've noticed these techniques don't get much discussion in fashion design communities despite being genuinely extraordinary — Zardozi is raised gold threadwork that originated in Persia, and a single panel can take a craftsman weeks. Chikankari is shadow-work embroidery where the design only becomes visible when held to light.

A few things I find fascinating from a design standpoint:

— Fabric choice completely changes how embroidery reads. The same Chikankari pattern on mul mul cotton looks delicate and airy; on silk organza, mulmul cotton it becomes architectural.

— Mukaish (tiny metallic dots hammered into fabric) creates a texture that photographs almost like sequins but moves completely differently on the body.

— Zardozi is one of the few embroidery forms where the weight of the thread itself becomes a design element — you can build sculptural relief.

I've been thinking about how little Western fashion education covers these crafts despite their enormous influence on global embroidery traditions.

Anyone here working with Indian embroidery techniques or incorporating them into contemporary design? Curious what challenges people face sourcing or adapting them.

I really want to make a handmade birthday gift for my fiancé. So I thought of embroidering flowers and letters on a necktie. I have never done such a thing before and I have none of the tools(not even needles or threads!). I have no idea.
What should I buy? What do I need? How do I do it at all?

I really need help. he has been so sweet and gave me handmade gifts before so I'm really eager to learn it.

Hey everyone, I hope you're having a lovely week!I’ve been looking for some fresh hand embroidery patterns on Etsy lately, and to be honest, I’m feeling so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of AI-generated listings.

A lot of them look super pretty at first glance, but when you zoom in, the stitches make absolutely no sense or are physically impossible to do by hand. It’s getting really frustrating to sift through all the clutter just to find genuine, hand-tested designs from real artists.What are your biggest red flags when shopping for PDF patterns now?

What makes you instantly trust a seller and know their patterns are actually stitchable?Also, with Etsy being so flooded with these low-quality copies, it really got me thinking...

What else do you wish sellers would offer to actually make your embroidery process easier or more enjoyable? Is there any specific digital resource, tracker, guide, or tool you’ve been looking for but haven't been able to find on Etsy yet?Would love to hear your thoughts and vent a little together. Happy stitching!