Re: please DO help …
Someone posted this a while back it is extremely helpful:
As far as I know, zari and zardozi are fairly generic terms referring to gold thread embroidery. There is an endless variety of specific technical terms referring to various different styles of zari and zardozi work…dabka, aari, nakshi, etc. Dabka refers to embroidery done with tightly coiled golden wire…it’s very commonly used in Pakistani clothes. Kora work is a plain gold colored stitch. Aari work is a kind of flat chain stitch that’s done with a special hooked needle (a lot of traditional Kashmiri embroidery is aari work)…it can be done in metallic or colored thread. Nakshi work is done with a special kind of very shiny thread. Ganga Jamuni work just refers to the use of designs that incorporate both silver and gold colored embroidery. Kundan is the use of “gems” (usually plastic or glass) in the embroidery…if you use glass, it becomes “cut glass” work, if you use swarovski crystal, it becomes “swarovski work”…
The use of “gems” makes this kundan work. The coiled wires (they look like springs) on the edges of the central blue stone are dabka work. If you look closely at the “jaals” theyre made of a delicate chainstitch…that’s aari work
The super shiny threads in this are nakshi work.
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/wedding/281338-help-embroidery-terminology-pictures.html
I guess I’m just an avid shopper, and I’ve read up on it a little too. Ritu Kumar wrote an interesting book on traditional attire in South Asia…I learned a lot from it.
As far as other terms are concerned…
Mukesh work refers to small, polished, silver colored, star shaped dots scattered all over…
Salma & Sitara work refers to sequined embroidery.
Jamavar is a type of handwoven fabric (usually in silk or pashmina), that has a design woven into it. Nowadays, some stores will cut corners and just print or machine embroider the design on and call it jamavar…
Kamkhaab is silk brocade…its fabric that has been hand embroidered over with flat gold thread. The classic Banarsi saree is made of kamkhaab silk.
Gota is metallic ribbon applique.
Chikan is a Persian style of embroidery that came to India during the Mughal era…its traditionally done in plain white cotton thread on fine muslin fabric, but it can be done in other colors too.
Sozni is the typical single stitch style of Kashmiri embroidery that you often see on shawls:
