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Activities / Phulkari / Phulkari Patch

Phulkari Patch

Phulkari Darning-Stitch Patch: Learn Punjab's Embroidery on a Small Square

Level
Beginner
Duration
2 - 4 hours
Budget
₹487 – ₹771
Age
10+
State
Punjab

Materials

  • Aida cloth, 14 count, white or cream
  • Cotton embroidery floss in 3 or 4 bright colours
  • Blunt tapestry needles, size 22
  • Embroidery hoop, 10 cm (4 in)
  • Water-erasable fabric marker
  • Metal thimble
  • Scissors, ruler, damp cloth
  • Sharp sewing needle, matching thread and an iron (adult help)

Steps

  1. Learn what phulkari is and lay out your tools
    Phulkari means 'flower work'. It is a Punjabi embroidery done with long, straight darning stitches that lie on the front of the cloth and catch only a tiny bit of cloth at the back. The shimmer comes from the direction of the stitches. Lay out Aida cloth, floss in 3 or 4 bright colours, a blunt tapestry needle, a 10 cm (4 in) hoop, a fabric pen, a ruler, scissors and a thimble. Sit in good light.
  2. Cut a 14 cm square of Aida and mark a 6 cm square grid
    Cut a 14 x 14 cm (5.5 in) square of 14-count Aida cloth, which has visible squares you can count. With the ruler and fabric pen, draw a 6 x 6 cm (2.4 in) square in the middle. Divide it into a 3 x 3 grid of boxes 2 cm wide. Each box is about 11 Aida squares wide. Common mistake: marking with pencil, which leaves a grey mark that does not wash off.
  3. Fix the cloth drum-tight in the hoop
    Loosen the hoop's screw, put the inner ring under the cloth, press the outer ring over it with the marked grid in the middle, and tighten the screw. Pull the cloth edges gently so the squares of the Aida run straight and the cloth is tight like a drum. A loose cloth makes the long stitches pucker.
  4. Thread the needle with 3 strands and start without a knot
    Cut 50 cm (20 in) of floss and gently pull apart 3 of the 6 strands, then put them back together and thread the blunt needle. Do not tie a knot. Push the needle up from the back at the top left corner of the first box and leave a 3 cm tail at the back, which you will hold down with your first few stitches.
    Tip: A blunt needle slides between the Aida squares without splitting the cloth fibres.
  5. Sew the first row of long darning stitches
    Go down 4 squares along the row, then come up 1 square beyond that, so the stitch lies on the front over 4 squares and only 1 square is hidden at the back. Repeat across the box to its edge, making the last stitch shorter if needed. Pull each stitch snug but not tight. Common mistake: pulling hard, which makes the cloth curl instead of lying flat.
    Tip: Keep the floss flat and untwisted so it shines. Run a finger along it after each stitch.
  6. Fill the first box row by row until no cloth shows
    Move down one row and repeat. Start each new row 2 squares further along than the row above, so the back-pick-ups form a brick pattern and the stitches cover the cloth. Pack the rows close together, one per row of squares. When the 2 cm box is full, about 11 rows, no cloth should show. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. Fill the next box in a contrasting colour, turned sideways
    Next to the first box, choose a different bright colour. Fill this box with vertical stitches instead of horizontal ones, going down 4 squares and coming up 1 square beyond, column by column. The change in direction makes the light catch the floss differently, which gives phulkari its glow. Start the thread by holding a 3 cm tail under your first stitches.
  8. Fill all nine boxes, alternating colour and direction
    Continue like a chessboard: colours and directions alternate between neighbouring boxes. When a thread gets short, about 8 cm, finish it by weaving the end under 3 or 4 stitches on the back and cutting it close. Start the next piece the same way. Check the back now and then: it should be tidy and not tangled, with only tiny stitches visible.
    Tip: Try 3 colours and let the same colour sit diagonally. It looks planned and balanced.
  9. Finish, wash out the pen marks and trim the cloth
    Take the work out of the hoop. Dab the pen lines with a damp cloth until they vanish and let it dry. Trim the cloth 1 cm outside the stitching. Fold the edges under by 5 mm, press them flat with an iron on low heat (adult help), and sew the patch to a bag, jacket or cushion with small hem stitches using a sharp needle and matching thread.

Sustainability

Medium - reuses fabric scraps; cotton thread is plant-based

Safety

Needle pricks, so use a thimble and keep needles in a cushion; stitch in good light and rest your eyes; children under 12 should stitch with an adult nearby