Phulkari with Checkered Design

Phulkaris are shawls made by rural women of north west India. It is a part of their dowery. The cotton ground is usually dyed maroon or blue and the embroidery is done with polychrome silk. The work is done from the back with short stitches showing while most of the silk shows on the front in long satin stitches and other variants. The large areas of long stitches contribute to a shimmering effect. This phulkari is of Islamic origin as it is all abstracted, with a large field of yellow and red stripes, enclosed within checkered borders.