Maharashtra SSC Hand Embroidery (MSBSHSE) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Sharps needle size rule

Higher needle numbers indicate finer, shorter needles. Sizes 7 to 12 suit fine cotton and silk work, while chenille and tapestry needles have blunt tips and large eyes for wool and counted-thread embroidery.

Stranded cotton floss

A divisible embroidery thread of six strands. One or two strands give delicate shading, three strands suit outlines, and four to six strands produce bold filling with heavier coverage.

Hoop tension principle

Fabric must be drum-tight in the hoop without stretching out of shape. Over-stretching causes the ground to spring back and pucker after the work is removed from the frame.

Pricking and pouncing

A transfer method for dark, heavy, or pile fabrics. The design is pricked along its lines with a wheel, chalk or pounce powder is dabbed through the holes, and the dots are joined.

Back stitch

Worked right to left, each new stitch begins where the previous one ended, creating an unbroken line. It is stronger than running stitch and suits firm outlines and lettering.

Stem stitch

Worked left to right along a line, with the needle emerging halfway back along the previous stitch. The overlap gives a twisted, rope-like outline ideal for curves.

Long-and-short stitch

A shading stitch whose first row alternates long and short stitches, with later rows worked evenly between them. It produces graded tonal blending in petals and leaves.

French knot

The thread is wrapped one to three times around the needle before re-inserting into the fabric. More wraps make a larger knot; the stitch is used for flower centres and texture.

Satin stitch edge rule

Crisp satin edges require the shape to be outlined or padded first, then filled with snug parallel stitches at even tension. Without this, edges fray outward and look ragged.

Motif versus pattern

A motif is a single design unit such as a flower or paisley. A pattern is the arrangement of that motif in a repeat, which may be straight, half-drop, brick, or mirrored.

Stitch plan

A mapping of each design area to a chosen stitch and thread. Contours take outline stitch, solid shapes take satin, graded petals take long-and-short, and centres take French knots.

Half-drop repeat

A layout in which alternate columns of the motif are shifted down by half the motif height. It breaks the grid-like look of a straight repeat and suits border and allover designs.

Complementary colour scheme

Two hues opposite on the colour wheel, such as red and green or blue and orange. The pairing gives maximum contrast and is used to make a focal motif stand out.

Warm and cool advance

Warm hues such as red, orange, and yellow appear to advance toward the viewer, while cool hues such as blue and violet recede. This controls which motif reads as focal.

Value in shading

Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Graded shading in long-and-short stitch is achieved by stepping through values of one hue rather than jumping between hues.

Kasuti stitches

A counted-thread style from Karnataka using Gavanti (double running), Murgi (zigzag running), Neki (single running), and Menthi (cross-like) stitches on dark handloom grounds with geometric motifs.

Phulkari

A Punjabi embroidery worked in darning stitch with floss silk on handspun khaddar. It is stitched largely from the reverse so the front shows dense geometric and floral colour.

Chikankari bakhiya

A Lucknow whitework technique in which herringbone stitch is worked on the reverse of fine muslin, producing a soft shadow outline on the front face of the fabric.

Paithani saree

A Maharashtra handwoven silk saree from the Paithan region, brocaded with gold zari and featuring peacock, lotus, and geometric border motifs in a deep traditional palette.

Mirror or abhla work

Small mirrors are laid on the ground and secured by buttonhole or herringbone stitches worked over the mirror rim. The technique is characteristic of Kutch and Rajasthan.

Zardosi components

Metallic embroidery using dabka (coiled wire), salma (spiral wire), sitara (flat sequins), and kora (flat wire), couched over a padded base for raised occasion-wear ornamentation.

Appliqué edge finish

A cut shape is attached to the ground and its edge secured with buttonhole, blanket, or satin stitch. Turned-edge appliqué folds the raw edge under before stitching.

Cutwork

Selected areas of the ground fabric are cut away and the raw edges bound with buttonhole stitch. Open spaces may be bridged with stitched bars for stability and decoration.

Pre-shrinking the ground

Washing and drying the fabric before stitching removes sizing and allows shrinkage to occur first, preventing the finished embroidery from distorting when the article is later laundered.

Straight grain rule

Fabric is cut and mounted so the design follows the lengthwise warp direction, which stretches least. Off-grain mounting causes the motif to skew after finishing.

Pressing raised embroidery

Raised work such as French knots, beads, and zardosi must never be pressed directly. It is padded with a thick towel or pressed face-down on a soft surface.

Thread end securing

Ends are woven back through the reverse of existing stitches rather than knotted. Knots create bumps on the right side and can loosen or pull through during washing.

Storing embroidered articles

Fold with acid-free tissue, avoid sealed plastic that traps moisture, and keep away from sunlight and insects. Neem or cedar sachets deter insect damage without chemicals touching the cloth.

Break-even quantity

Fixed costs divided by the difference between selling price per unit and variable cost per unit. It gives the number of units that must be sold before the business makes a profit.

Labour costing

Time per piece multiplied by the hourly wage rate. Sampling, tracing, finishing, and packing time are included alongside stitching time so the price reflects the real work.

Workshop safety rules

Sharp tools are kept in closed boxes, pins are counted before and after use, and dyes and solvents are used with ventilation and gloves, away from food areas.

Swatch trial

A test sample on scrap fabric that checks thread coverage, colour contrast, stitch tension, and shrinkage before the design is transferred and stitched on the final article.