Vol. 9, Special Issue 4 (2020)

Author(s):
Vivek Singh and Nisha Arya

Abstract:
Dasuti embroidery is known by different names as needle point work, needle work, tapestry, and canvas needle work and canvas work or canvas embroidery. It is locally known as ‘dasuti kadhai’ in rural Haryana. In almost all the districts of Haryana, it enjoys a high favour among rural women for their personal use as a bed cover, table cloth, furniture coverings and wall panels, etc. They started this embroidery on their own at the age of 11-13 years and learnt this art from family members, neighbours and friends. According to them it is the easiest among all the embroidery stitches and also a form of relaxation, person doesn’t feel tired even after the long working hours followed by it is the only embroidery for which they can use the left over raw material available at home. Canvas embroidery articles made by learners and inexperienced rural women had some defects. These were improper colour combinations, bi-directional top stitches, wrong worked designs, knots and loose threads on wrong side of articles and also the unfinished canvas embroidery articles. The major problem faced by all the women was non-availability of newer designs, fabrics and threads in the villages. All the women also mentioned that they don’t have knowledge about other canvas stitches, their combination and embroidery ornamentation material which could be used in canvas embroidery to add glitter. Thus, it was realized that the various value added techniques in canvas embroidery like the use of different raw material and stitches other than the existing one would prove as an endeavour to touch the futuristic vision of dasuti embroidery