Lucknowi Chikankari is one of its kind hand embroidery, a variety of stitching styles are involved in chikan embroidery. It takes many years for an artisan to master the techniques of chikankari, chikan embroidery requires discipline and precision of detail in its formation. As a result, this art cannot be replicated anywhere. There are 32 stitches of chikankari, which are broadly classified into Raised stitch, Embossed and Flat stitch and Open Trellis.
Let’s take a look at some of the famous stitches which are practised in Chikan Embroidery of Lucknow:
Flat Stitches: these stitches merge with the fabric and give an impression that embroidery is itself the texture of the fabric.
- BHAKHIYA: The shadow stitch is the most popular stitch in Lucknow Chikankari. It is mostly done from the backside of the block printed fabric so to give the shadow effect on the right side of fabric. There is also ‘Upari bakhiya’ which is done on the right side of fabric given it a stitch a herringbone structure which looks filled.


3. KEHERKI: Keherki is premium stitch used in place of a keel or kangan. It is circular in shape having a hole in the centre. Can be described as a dish kind of structure.
4. KANGAN: This structure involves a ‘turra’ which is a round stud in the centre having tiny stitches around it. A single level of stitches around is called a ‘Keel’ and when the keel is tiered with another round of stitches it is called a ‘Kangan’. This can be counted as three different stitches too technically.
5. Murri: It is the diagonal satin stitches worked several times with a knot on a basic tepchi stitch to form a grain shape.
6. Keel Kangan: To adorn the petals and floral motifs Keel Kangan stitches are used.
7. Ulti Bakhiya: Ulti bakhiya is a crisscrossing of thread work on fabric, reverse of shadow work. It gives the look as if the embroidery is itself the texture of the garment.
8. PATTI: As the name suggests, is a leafy formation of filling embroidery. It is widely used in Chikankari since most of the motifs and stories Chikankari tells is derived from nature and a leaf is a very prominent part of nature. There can be a variation in pattis, the most popular being ghas patti, channa patti and dhum patti. The ghas patti will be straight and dhum patti will have a sway in its formation. Channa patti will have a circular end point, not pointy.
9. PECHNI: Pechni is the line stitch in Chikankari and is widely used to outline shapes or mostly form stems to connect leaves, flowers and phandas.
10. Ulti Bakhiya: Ulti bakhiya is a crisscrossing of thread work on fabric, reverse of shadow work. It gives the look as if the embroidery is itself the texture of the garment.
11. Tepchi: Tepchi is long running or darning stitch worked with six strands on the right side of the fabric taken over four threads and picking up one. Thus, by this, a line is formed.
12. Chana Patti: Short drawn stitches are made to give a leafy look.
13. HOLE/HUL: A hole is quite literally what the name suggests. The karigar intricately crafts a hole in the fabric with needle and binds it with thread work, lining the hole.
14. KAURI: Kauri is a bud or shell kind of structures, which looks like two slim pattis are joined from both sides leaving in between space for hathkati.
15. BALDA: Balda is a premium replacement of Pechni at places. Very tightly packed stitch.
16. KUT/CUT: Cut is a premium stitch to replace pechni or balda in ceratin spaces. It is mostly done in dome type designs enclosing the jaali centre. It looks like several tiny kaante placed side by side in a line very closely packed.
17. Ghas Patti: The grass leaves formed by a V-shaped line of stitches worked in a graduated series on the right side of the fabric. It is occasionally done in parallel rows to fill petals and leaves in a motif.
18. Dhum Patti: It is a leaf pattern made of cross-stitch.
19. Daraz Stitch: Daraz is basically a steam stitch drawn with two sides of overlapping fabric cut into various shapes, which were then hand sewn to give a seam design. ‘Machhli’, ‘Singhara’ and ‘Sitara’ are the famous Daraz stitches used in today’s time.
The other stitches which are used in chikan embroidery are:
- Makra
- Hathkadi
- Banjkali
- Sazi
- Karan
- Madrasi
- Taj Mahal
- Janjeera
- Dhania Patti
- Rozan Mehraki