What is Salma, Sitara, Mukaish, Badla, Gijai, Dabka and More

All these are the elements which are used in Zardozi Embroidery.

The basic element is the plain metal wire.

The plain wire is called badla, prepared from a flattened wire which is laid on surface of the fabric, and when wound round a thread, it is called kasab. 

Smaller spangles with hole in centre are called sitara, and tiny dots made of badla are called mukaish. 

Sequins or Sitara

Tilla is the flat wire which cannot be threaded and is stitched directly on to the material. 

Salma is very fine, soft unflattened wire wound spirally without a thread in the centre. 

Dabka is a light weight coiled wire which is soft, flexible, and light both in weight and colour. 

A heavier form of dabka known as kora. 

Nakshi is a flat metal wire coiled in angular way similar to dabka except that it is thicker. 

A round zari with a hole in the centre is called is called chakri. 

Gijai is circular thin stiff wire. 

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What is Zardozi - how it is different from Kamdani

Embroidery that uses pure gold and silver wire and zari is known as Zardozi. This work is also known as karchobi. Zardozi involves the use of gold threads, spangles, beads, seed pearls, wire, gota and kinari. The original embroidery of Zardozi was done with pure silver wires coated with real gold, and was known as Kalabatun.

Techniques of Zardozi Work

 there are two broad techniques of Zardozi work. These are karchobi and kamdani. Karchobi is done for heavy fabrics and furnishings eg. tent, hangings, cover, spreads, trappings, umbrella, parasols etc. The fabric is generally velvet or heavy satin with lining support underneath. The Kamdani technique on the other hand is more magnificently practiced on finer fabrics such as muslin, silk etc. which were more suitable for costumes and related accessories such as caps, veils, scarves, caps, bonnets, shoes, belts, purses, fans, jewellery etc. 

Difference of Zardozi than other stitches

Zardozi differs from other traditions of embroidery like Kantha, Phulkari, Kasuti etc. where the movement of threaded needle is guided by variety of stitches. In other embroideries silk, cotton or woollen thread are used, which are binding medium, whereas in zardozi, the body of the design is completed by laying varieties of metallic threads in several shapes and forms along with beads, stones , beetle wings, etc. The whole process is more indicative of appliqué, then embroidery. Thus it may be called metal appliqué. One can understand this from the fact that zardoz always get  payments for amount of wire stitched on the cloth by weight. They never use the word kadai, the hindi word for embroidery, instead refer to it as salme sitare ka kaam ka takna which means laying salma, sitara on the body of the fabric.

Zardozi and Aari are two classifications with a slight difference in needle holding. Zardozi is embroidered with simple hand needle thus involving more effort, while for the aari the needle is fixed in a stick, which makes the hole in the fabric and thread, can be pulled both ways. 

Zaminduzi and Gulduzi

When the embroidery completely covered the fabric the work is known as Zaminduzi or if single motifs were scattered across it was known is gulduzi. 

The stitches

The stitches used in Zardozi are laid-stitch, couching, stem stitch, running stitch and satin stitch. Raised effect is given in Zardozi by padding in soft thick cotton thread and cardboard or bukram.

Average income of Artisans

Zardozi- 10000 Rs. per month- 10/12 Hours per day- Monthly wage

Process of Zardozi Embroidery

Following are the steps in doing the embroidery:

Firstly the design is traced on to the tracing paper and then the design is perforated with the needle all over on the design. The fabric on which the embroidery is to be done is placed on a flat table and the tracing sheet is placed in position. A solution of kerosene and Robin Blue/zinc oxide is made. A wad of cloth is dipped into this solution and wiped against the tracing so that the ink seeps through the

holes to trace the design onto the fabric.

Source

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Garment Sizing System Notes-3

1. Percentage returns in the catalogue retailing for casual apparels are 12-18%, More fitted fashion are 20-28% and for high fashion apparels are 35%.

2. The thumb rule to distribute an increament say 4 cm across the parts of the bodice: 62.5% to be done at the front.

3. Generic Size codes ( S, M, L, XL) are popular for sportswear and garments that fit loosely.

4. Mens clothing is generally communicated in terms of body measurement eg. 38.

5. In a study, it was found that the customer estimation of their body sizes were not accurate. People overestimated their stature and underestimated their hips. But was measured accurately.

6. Apparel sizing is often cited as the social benchmarking tool for women's bodies.

7. Bougourd explained that a size designation is most useful when tied to bodies' measurement.

8. Taylor and Shoben noted that the problem of grading sizing increase as the garment fit becomes closer to actual body shape conversely they decrease as the the garment category becomes looser.

9. Two inches girth grade was used as it was an easy division to a half inch measure when working on a folded front or back pattern piece.

10. In US, a grading of 1" done for smaller sizes, 1.5" for middle size and 2" for higher size. British and Australians work on flat 2" grading. 

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Garment Sizing System Notes-2

A. There can be three approaches towards development of sizing systems:

1. Indirect Approach: This approach measures dimensions such as weight and height and derive measurement based on these.

Shortcomings of indirect approach such as height relate to their variability. E.g. stature is composed of two components: trunk length and leg length. These two dimensions vary independent of each other they cannot be controlled by controlling their sums.

2. Direct:  This approach measures directly the dimensions to be measured such as chest girth.

3. Direct/Indirect:The third approach uses both the approaches.

As per ACK chan, in ready to wear garments, the exactness of fit is not too important at more than two dimensions of the body.

B. The design of the sizing system is a man-made convenience- based on factors of economy, fit and practicability.

C. It is a standard practice to use an odd number of sizes that will stand out for grading.

D. A size designation should have two things- length and girth.

E. As per ME Faust in "Apparel Designation and Sizing": Size designation should bear a definitive relationship to a garment's key measurements and convey adequate information to consumers of any target market.

F. The size interval ( Incremental difference) should incorporate the following:

a. A margin that is bigger than the measuring error.
b. Variation inherent in the manufacturing, allowing for stretch or shrinkage of the fabric during and after the process of manufacture.
c. Variations within the sizing of the body that the consumers are likely to accept.

As per ACK Khan regarding measuring error"... The intervals must be larger than the measuring error...", he further explains:

"...if a man of 88cm chest girth is being measured, it is possible for the measurements to appear as anywhere between 87 and 89 cm, due to different ways in which a person holds the tape measure during measurement taking. If a size interval of only 1 cm was chosen, this would mean a man may be assigned to different size depending on the way his body measurements had been taken. Also in a system, where small interval is used eg. 3cm, the argument in its favour is that it would lead to closer fitting garments. However acc to "Kunick" it is found that a garment that fits within the tolerance of +- 3 cm is quite acceptable, meaning that a size interval could be as wide as 6cm and still give a satisfactory fitting capacity. It can be further said that a garment can be of correct size but a bad fit, and in that case any variation in this size interval is unlikely to give any improvement. "

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