What is needlework?
Needlework is one of the Iranian handicrafts and arts that is popular in some parts of the country. In this art, inspired by their dreams and creativity, women and girls perform different methods of needlework on linen, embroidered, silk, wool and cotton fabrics, in which they are made of silk, wool, golabton, and sermeh yarns. Tapestry, sermeh and synthetic fibers are used.
Women and girls embroider on the surface of simple fabrics, draw designs with colored threads, which is done with the help of needles and hooks and sew delicate stitches on the fabric.
There is a lot of variety in needlework methods. Needlework is usually used for needlework (rectangular or circular frame to keep the fabric smooth).
Traditional Iranian needlework is one of the ancient methods of decorating clothes and many textiles that have been used in human life.
Needlework is a very delicate type of embroidery and handicraft. In English, this art is called “Suzani”, which is derived from the Persian word for needle.
The origins of this art are attributed to years ago in the nomadic tribes of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries.
A very beautiful art that has attracted the attention of collectors, interior designers as well as furniture designers .
Needlework is one of the Iranian handicrafts and arts that is done with thread and needle on fabric and other fabrics. This art is mostly performed in Iran in Sistan and Baluchestan province (Baluchis) and some other regions of Iran such as Isfahan (Armenians), Bakhtiari, northern (Turkmen), Khorasan and Yazd (Zoroastrians of Yazd).
Needlework in these areas differs in design, color and type of sewing. In Iran, the cradle of needlework is Sistan and Baluchestan, which is done by Baluch women. Iranshahr city located in Baluchistan was registered in 1397 as a national city of needlework.
Baluchi embroidery or Baluchi embroidery are special types of embroidery done by Baluchi women. These embroidery designs are inspired more by the dreams of Baluchi women than by the nature in which they live.
Many beautiful designs of Balochistan needlework by Iranians and Ghasem Abad Bampour on Farah Diba’s clothes in the second Pahlavi period were done by women of this region. At the same time, Baluchi needlework received the seal of authenticity from UNESCO.
What are the characteristics of needle fabrics?
Needlework is usually done on linen fabrics, but sometimes silk fabrics are used for this purpose. The method is that first the patterns are drawn on linen fabrics and then embroidered. Usually these fabrics are prepared in two or more separate pieces and finally sewn together.
Four types of traditional and special sewing called Tamur, Basmeh, Chain and Kanda-khayol are used for embroidering different types of needlework designs and patterns.
Needlework yarns are usually made using plant dyes, but synthetic dyes are also used in new and industrial needlework; However, these colors do not have as much contrast and clarity as natural colors.
A special plant is used to prepare each of the natural colors. For example, in traditional dyeing, indigo blue is obtained from indigo, red from rhubarb seeds, green from kind of mushroom (Semarough), and black from iron oxide and pistachios.
The role and design of needle fabrics
Needlework fabrics have a wide range of patterns. For example, the fabrics related to Bukhara have a grape design with toothed leaves and a vase full of roses.
In general, traditional needlework designs include sun and moon patterns, rising flowers and lilies, leaves and grapes, fruits (especially pomegranates), and sometimes fish and bird designs.
These designs contain the deep convictions of designers and embroiderers, as many of them believe that needlework protects and empowers their owners.
In each region, a special design for needlework is common.
However, it is not easy to identify the origins of historical specimens, as the art is rooted in nomadic culture, and seamstresses were not usually segregated.