Mirror Embroidery

One of the most attractive things in Indian specifically Gujarati embroidery is incorporating the shisha or the mirror. The art is supposed to have its origin in Persia somewhere around the 13th century. The mirror work is used along with the other stitches to enhance the general effect of the pattern.

It is used by the Jats of Banni. They cut the glass into different shapes and embroider it in the fabric. Incredibly miniscule mirror embroidery was done on heavily encrusted yoke with white thread, mingled with red, orange, blue and green, by the Garari Jat community. In Kathi embroidery, the mirrors are used for eyes of birds and center of flowers.

Often combination of cross-stitch, satin stitch and buttonhole stitch, along with mirrors is used in Gujarat. The mirror work is also preferred in Rajasthan with the same passion. It is also used to accentuate the appearance of Orissa applique.

It is said that earlier mica was used instead of mirror. Later ornamental mirror shapes were cut out of an urn, blown out by a mouth pipe. Now mirror sheets are produced.