Lucknow Chikankari is one of its distinctive types of hand embroidery, involving a range of stitching styles that an artisan must learn over many years of hard work. Chikankari or chikan embroidery techniques necessitate discipline and attention to detail in their execution. As a result, this art cannot be unstealable anywhere. Chikankari has 32 stitches. Among them, the five basic stiches are Phanda-small circular dot, Jaali, tepchi-the running stich, murri and bakhia- the most common and popular stich that gives the shadow effect. Dhoom, Gol-Murri, Janjeera, Keel, Kangan-bangle, Dhania Patti, Murri lambi -the murri stich ends with sharp point, Karan Phool, Karan, Kapkapi, Bijli, Ghas Patti, Rozan, Meharki, Kaj, Phool chameli, Chane ki patti, Balda, Jora, Penchni, Kauri. Sidhaul jaali, Makra, Mandrazi, Bulbul Chashm, Phool Jaali and Tajmahal are the varieties of Jaali work. Hathkati and bank jaali are the straight line jaali works.
Phanda: Phanda and Murri are the forms of stitches used to embroider the centre of the flowers in ordinary chikan work motifs. They are typically French knots, with murri being rice-shaped and phanda millet-shaped.
Jaali: Jaali stitch is the one where the thread is never drawn through the fabric, ensuring that the back portion of the garment looks as impeccable as the front. The warp and weft threads are carefully drawn apart and minute buttonhole stitches are inserted into the cloth.
Tepchi: Tepchi is a 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, a line is formed. It is used principally as a basis for further stitchery and occasionally to form a simple shape
Bakhiya: Bakhiya, double back or shadow stitch in chikan work is done from the wrong side of the fabric and the design is rendered in the herringbone style. The shadow of the thread is seen through the cloth on the right side.
Hool: Hool is a detachable aperture stitch. A hole is pierced in the fabric, and the threads are teased apart in this technique. It is then held in place with tiny straight stitches all around and worked on the right side of the fabric with one thread. It is usually worked with six strands and forms the core of a flower.
