You are from Karnataka. Have you really looked at a traditional Kasuti piece up close?
Kasuti is one of India’s oldest needlework traditions, and it belongs to us. It originated in the Bijapur, Belgaum, and Dharwad regions over 800 years ago. The Chalukya dynasty patronised it. Mysore royalty wore it. Today, recognising and reviving it is part of why I teach.
What makes Kasuti different
Four stitches. That is the entire vocabulary:
- Gavanti — a simple double-running stitch worked in geometric lines
- Murgi — a zig-zag step pattern that resembles a staircase
- Negi — a long running stitch that creates a darning effect
- Menthi — cross-stitch that fills geometric shapes
What makes Kasuti special is not the stitches themselves. It is the rules:
- Designs are entirely geometric — no figurative motifs traditionally
- Worked from the back of the fabric, counted thread by thread
- No knots — the threadwork must be reversible
- Originally done on Ilkal sarees and kunbi blouses
Why it matters now
For about a century, mass-produced fabrics and Western styles pushed Kasuti to the margins. It nearly died out in the 1970s and 80s. The Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation has been working to revive it. Designers like Vimor are bringing it into modern collections.
Learning Kasuti now is more than a craft skill. It is continuing a thread, literally, of Karnataka’s textile history.
Where to learn it
If you want to learn Kasuti properly, we cover it as part of our hand embroidery course at Diya Fashion Designing. The 2-month course gives you the foundation in basic stitches, then we dedicate sessions to Kasuti and other traditional Indian techniques.
You will work on authentic geometric patterns from traditional sources, counting techniques (this is the hard part), and modern adaptations applying Kasuti motifs to contemporary garments.
We are not a museum. We teach Kasuti as a living craft you can use in your own work, your own boutique, your own creations.
To learn more, WhatsApp Shilpa on 98860 21137 or walk in for a free demo session.