RABARI EMBROIDERY

Rabari embroidery is characterized by its use of mirrors (shisha) surrounded by colorful embroidery. Many of the large and bold designs are inspired by Rabari mythology and their desert habitation. The basic pattern is normally worked on a dark ground, with the individual motifs being outlined with chain stitch and then filled in with buttonhole stitch and herringbone stitch, all in brightly colored threads.
In addition, the backstitch (bakhiya) is used to decorate the seams of women’s blouses and on men’s jackets (kediyun). A feature of Rabari embroidery is the extensive use of mirrors (shisha) in many different shapes and sizes, with the
most common forms being lozenges, round, rectangular, square and triangular shapes, although sometimes tear drop forms are also used.