Embroidery of Tamil Nadu | Tamil Embroidery

The Tamil Embroidery, pieces of felt in muted colors are used in combination with strong dark colors to create a powerful effect which is strong and bold but never gaudy. In many pieces the embroidery designs are attached to the base material with a fine band of fabric in a contrasting colour. Others are attached with such closely worked buttonhole stitch that it gives an appearance of woven fabric.

The motifs are religious being images of various deities such as Ganesh, Durga, Kartikeya, Shiv and Parvati and of mythological birds and animals. Sometimes the whole motif is cut out of a single piece of cloth but at others different colors are used for body, clothes, wings, etc. These are skilfully joined with fine stitching.

These essentially religious articles have now been modified to produce garden umbrella lamp shades and other articles of domestic use.