DECORATIVE DESIGNS ON FABRIC SURFACES
Decorative designs on fabric, apparel and furnishing can be categorised into 3 types (in terms of how they are arranged and the areas they cover). They are:
- Motifs
- Borders
- All-over
Motifs
Motifs cover a spot or a little space of a big area of the Design. Individual motifs could be as tiny as ½ square cm and as big as can be fitted in a design. The different ways in which motifs are placed on fabric are:
- Logo – is a motif associated with a Brand or identifies a name/cause/organisation. Logo are used on all types of garments whenever a identity needs tobe displayed prominently.
- Motif on Pockets of Shirts / Tops / Shorts /Jeans / Casual Pants
- Motif on Chest of T-shirts / Tops
- Motif on thigh area of Shorts /Jeans / Casual Pants
- Motif on crown or arm of sleeve of Shirt / Sherwani
- Motif above hem of sleeve of shirt, t-shirt or ladies top / Kurti / Lehenga
- Motif on Centre Back Shoulder of shirt, t-shirt or ladies top / Kurti
- Motif on Centre Back of shirt, t-shirt or ladies top / Kurti / Lehenga
- Motif on Cushion covers, Sofa/Table Covers, Bedsheets and Curtains
- Motif on Bags and purses
Borders
Borders cover a length of space in a design on the edges of fabric or apparel or furnishing. Borders are usually made up of a series of motifs repeated in a continuous line. Motifs may be connected to one another by way of connector designs to form a border. Motifs or part of motifs along with their connector that are repeated to form borders are called ‘repeats’. Borders may be placed at / on
- Border on Edges of Stoles, Dupattas, Sari
- Border at Hems and Cuffs of Ladies Tops / Kurti / Lehenga
- Border Cushion covers, Sofa/Table Covers, Bedsheets and Curtains
- Motif Bags and purses
All–over Designs
Embroidery is made all-over the width and length of fabric or article. A set of motifs and/or borders are repeated in a pre-determined sequence. Motifs are placed individually or are connected with connector designs. All-over Designs may be made with 'repeats'.
HOW ARE DECORATIVE DESIGNS MADE ON FABRIC?
Most common methods of making decorative designs on fabric surfaces are:
- Weaving
- Knitting
- Printing
- Dyeing
- Embroidery - By hand or By machine
- Painting
- Drawing by hand
- Embossing