Balochi Embroidery by Qurrat-ul-Ain Siddiqui

Discovering Baluchi embroidery has been a major highlight. Baluchi fabrics originate from Pakistan's largest province Baluchistan. There are four main provinces in Pakistan and each area has its own signature style of embroidery. The province of Balochistan, where brings an image of barren lands and mountains also holds an exclusive richness in its culture that is intriguing yet unknown to many, who live in other parts of Pakistan. among other gifts from this province, Baluchistan really stands out for its embroidery. The fine-looking hand embroidery that women at home create is prized not just in Pakistan but also abroad. These traditional patterns the Balochi women create with a variety of colors require a lot of hard work and concentration. These patterns are time taking yet they cannot be copied by speedy embroidery machines. One can easily tell the difference between the machine embroidery and the hand embroidery, and the hand embroidery is what people prefer. The reason is simple; the hand embroidery is unique and appeals much more to the aesthetics of people than the machine embroidery. When you go to Balochi embroidery women, they show you a variety of patterns, made as samples on a big cloth. The customer chooses the patterns of choice and provides the women with threads and cloth. These women then create personalized designs for each customer, according to the color scheme and the chosen fabric. These designs can take days to be prepared but they are worth the time. The Balochi women are not usually allowed to go out of their homes to earn a living, so they create amazing pieces of art while staying at home. These patterns are made on shawls, waist coats, caps, dresses, wall panels, floors and sofa cushions. Tiny round mirrors are used in the embroidery that make the embroidered stuff stand out from the other types of embroidery. What is fantastic about this embroidery is that it is never old and extremely adaptable. It can be merged with new fashions and seems highly trendy, when a mix of traditional embroidery is created with new styles. The embroidered wall panels are fascinating and give homes an artistic hint. Floor and sofa cushions also attract a lot of attention because they are so beautifully made and lots of color contrasts are used that cannot be ignored by the human eye. We certainly need to cherish this artistic talent which is a part of our culture and identity, so it does not die away. A lot of effort and time is required for this hand embroidery; it cannot stay active without the right amount of support and appreciation. The present fast-paced lives are making it harder for people to indulge in creating such crafts but it is possible to keep this tradition alive, by providing it the support and appreciation it deserves.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Balochi
• Embroidery
• by
• Qurrat
• ul
• Ain
• Siddiqui

[speakingtruly]

When growing up, some family friends gave me a dress with similar embroidery. I never realised it was Baluchi art. I just thought it was a national fashion in Pakistan. Thanks for sharing this video, now I appreciate it as it deserves to be.

[cap5185]

Quite superficial documentary like other journalist's reports