Zalakdozi uses concentric rings to fill a pattern. There are a lot many styles in which a pattern can be filled, like using various shades of the same color for the various rings. I have used darker shades to do the outline and lighted and paler shades to fill the inside. The only time a concentric ring is not used is when there is no space to go round about and allows you a journey of chain stitch only one way.

Fig 1:  First, I traced out a floral design onto a linen cloth, using carbon paper.
		Fig 2:  Start by doing the outline using chain stitch. I have used deeper colors for the outlining.
		Fig 3: Once the outine is done, I start to fill in the inside using a paler or lighter colors/shades. The filling is done in concentric rings following the shape of the motif. Do not leave any visible space between each ring. At the same time, do not make it too tightly packed. The chain stich must lay relaxed to give it a ‘zalakdozi’ effect.
		Fig 4: While some parts of the pattern get filled with just one ring of the paler color, some others might require more rings to get filled. Some patterns might require just a single lazy daisy stitch to get filled.
		Fig 5: The zig zag chain stitch can be used to take sharp turns while filling a motif.
		Fig 6: Some parts of the pattern might be left with spaces in the centre. You can either leave the spaces or fill it in. Here,  I chose to leave in the space.
		Fig 7: It is not always necessary to use concentric ring(s) to fill a pattern. If you see the illustration, you will see that some patterns can be filled with chain stitch done just one way, as there is no room for a return stitch.
		Fig 8: While stitching, you might encounter places where you get ‘bottle necked’, as in the illustration. I stitched one way and while turning around to stitch my way back, I encountered a ‘bottle neck’, marked between A and B. This is an area where I cannot accomodate another stitch. In such a case, I end the journey at A, and come up again at B to resume the journey.
Fig 9/ 10 : The close up and whole finished design using zalakdozi.

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Tags: embroidery tutorial, floral pattern, hand embroidery, kashmiri, kashmiri embroidery, lazy daisy, mughal, zalakdozi, zig zag chain stitch

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This stitch, looks like the long tailed daisy done in a zig zag manner. Being a mottif stitch, it can be used comfortably for light borders and with other embelishments.

You need to be aware of the long tailed daisy stitch to be able to do this stitch. Knowledge of the zig zag chain stitch will be good.

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Fig 1: We begin by doing a long tailed daisy with the start point on A. The loop is angled at about 45 degrees since we are making a zig zag pattern. While making the ‘tail’, before going in through the fabric, we wrap the thread around the needle as shown in the illustration.		Fig 2: Then, the needle is put in through C and brought out through D, again at an angle of about 45 degrees. Next , loop the thread around the needle as shown. This is to make the next long tailed daisy.
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		Fig 3: Continue this procedure of making long tailed daisies at 45 degree angles.
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Fig 4: This illustration shows a portion of the feathered chain stitch.

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This decorative stitch is the incorporation of zig zag chain stitch and cable chain stitch. It looks more like a cable chain stitch in zig zag pattern. It follows two parallel stitch lines.

I will be working on a slightly curved parallel stitch lines. You need to know the chain stitch and cable stitch to be able to do this stitch.  

Fig 1: With the base on one of the stitch lines, make a loop as we would in a chain stitch. Place the needle at about 90 degrees angle near the broader end of the loop and wrap the thread around as shown.		Fig 2: With the thread still wrapped, put the needle in through the other stitch line and bring it out on the first stitch line at 90 degrees angle. Loop the thread around the needle from inside out.
Fig 3: When you pull out the needle to tighten the loop, we would get two zig zag loops connected by a small cable.		Fig 4: Continue with this action. Always remember to keep the needle at the broader base of the previous loop.
Fig 5: Keep the needle at always about a 90 degrees angle to get a perfect zig zag pattern.		Fig 6: And, always loop the thread around from inside out. When your needle is directed towards left side, the loop will be from left to right and vice versa.
	Fig 7: A completed zig zag cable chain pattern will show like this.

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Also known as: Vandyke chain stitch
 
This stitch is the incorporation of chain stitch in a zig zag manner. In other words, a zig zag chain stitch is done between two parallel lines instead of one. Ideal for any border embroidery, this is more of a decoration stitch.

I have used only one stitch line to illustrate this stitch. You may imagine a parallel stitch line over the one that I have marked. To do this stitch, you need to know how to do chain stitch.

Fig 1: With the base on the stitch line, do a chain stitch loop.		Fig 2: The stitch should be slanted at about a 45 degrees angle, from the stitch line. If it helps, you may draw a parallel stitch line as well.
	Fig 3: Continue with the chain stitch procedure, but keep the needle at a 45 degree angle always, for every new stitch.
Fig 4: You should get a pattern like this when done on a straight line. You can try to follow curves too.

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Tags: embroidery tutorial, hand embroidery, vandyke chain stitch, zig zag chain stitch

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