One of my commenters, Sharon, requested more information on Kantha embroidery. I think she will be very happy with this post! I found my information through Deepa’s blog, which has a nice section on Indian embroidery (other embroidery too, but I was looking for Kantha embroidery specifically). The main stitch in Kantha embroidery is running stitch. It sounds very simple but the designs are amazingly complex. The picture to the left is from Wikipedia’s article on Kantha.
Deepa wrote three posts on Kantha (Nakshi Kantha-An Art Unparalleled, Rediscovering Kantha Embroidery, Decoding Kantha Embroidery). She also sent me to the Mridula School of Embroidery and Fashion Design, which created one hundred and ninety-nine video tutorials about Indian embroidery on Youtube. Their Kantha embroidery section includes three videos showing someone stitching Kantha embroidery (Kantha 1, Kantha 2, Kantha 3) and an eleven video how-to-do-Kantha series:
- Introduction (contains a brief text overview followed by many examples of Kantha embroidery). Here are some screenshots:
This is followed by a number of stitch demonstration videos, which are very clear videos of someone working the given stitch from the beginning to cutting the thread off. They are set to background music, and there is no speaking.
- Jod stitch
- Bejod stitch
- Paichano stitch
- Tara booti stitch
- Kantha booti stitch
- Charki booti stitch
- Dhaner sheesh stitch
- V shaped strips of Dhaner sheesh
- Dhaner sheesh on motif and leaves (no stitch demonstration, just embroidery samples)
- Demonstration of feather and herringbone stitch: The video states that feather stitch is mostly used as a decorative stitch in border designs. Herringbone stitch is sometimes used as filling for petals and leaves instead of running stitch.
Finally, here are a few of Deepa’s other Indian embroidery tutorials (each photo is linked to the tutorial):
embroidery for ducks 
Hello Hannah,
I was absolutely thrilled to see your post on kantha embroidery today! Bravo for the in-depth research you did, providing links to articles and for finding such a knowledgeable source in Deepa, who provided you with her kantah tutorials as well as the link to video tutorials on the stitches. These (videos) are golden as they allow us to see how the stitching is actually done as well as to other links. Your article is so muich appreciated – I did not dream of having such a rapid reply to my comment!
A big thank you.
Sharon
I’d love to see the results if you do some kantha embroidery yourself
Hi Hannah,
I have a kantha project on the “back burner” right now.
It’s a border for a baby blanket for my new grandson! The pattern is in “Broderie Inspiration” Magazine (published by les Editions de Saxe) No. 13, May-June 2010. This is the French edition of the Australian “Inspirations” magazine. The instructions are, of course, in French. The motifs are delightful – birds, a giraffe, elephants, a tiger and trees and flowers – and very colorful.
I’m feeling much more confident that by using the video sources about kantha stitching, I’ll be able to achieve the project. When it’s finished I’ll send you a photo!
-Sharon in France
So much Beautiful!
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Hi Hannah
This is Sowmya. S from Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
I love your blog. Superbb!!! tutorials… 😀
I request you to give the step by step instructions with pictures for each stitch as it will be helpful in learning and executing the same.
It will be helpful for the readers.
Thank you so much.
Best Regards
Dear Sowmya,
I would love to but I don’t really know kantha embroidery! I found a few obscure books on it in the university library, but Indian embroidery is not that common in my part of the USA. So all I have is some guesses. Maybe some day I will have time/money to take a correspondence class from the Mridula School. Perhaps you could find someone in India to teach you and send me photos? I would be happy to put a tutorial on my blog and credit them.
Hannah
Dear Hannah
Thank you for your reply.
In case, if you conduct classes in Bangalore/ Correspondence course from Mridula School, please let me know. 🙂
Please check this blog: http://www.embroidery.rocksea.org
I hope you love it 😀
Best Regards
Sowmya. S
thank you!