A shisha mirror has no hole, so it cannot be sewn through. Na kaftanie, szczyt, dress or bag, each mirror is held by a grid of criss-cross threads laid over its face, with a border stitch worked round the edge. The thread is the hold. The spec should name the stitch, the thread and the tests for it.
What is shisha work on a kaftan or dress?
Shisha work on a kaftan or dress is embroidery that fixes small reflective pieces to the cloth. The Textile Research Centre (TRC) in Leiden defines it as “a type of applied decorative needlework that is characterised by small pieces of reflective material that are sewn onto a cloth ground material”. The TRC says the name comes from the Persian word for glass. It also notes that “Shisha work is widely used on clothing (takie jak sukienki and caps)”.
The material has changed over time. The TRC says “The older examples of shisha embroidery used mica to create the shiny effect.” The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) says that “from the 19th century onwards pieces of specially made mirrored glass were widely available.” The TRC adds that “By the end of the twentieth century shiny, plastic discs had more or less replaced the use of glass.”
Torby carry it too. The ASU FIDM Museum holds “a small drawstring bag covered with mirrorwork embroidery”, and describes the work as “small, round bits of mirror affixed to a ground fabric with various embroidery stitches.”
How is each mirror held on a kaftan, top or bag?
Na kaftanie, top or bag, each mirror is held by thread laid over it, not through it. The TRC gives the reason: “Because the mica and mirror glass pieces have no holes that can be used to fasten the circles down to the ground material, a system of criss-cross threads is used.”
The work has two parts:
- The holding threads. Straight stitches cross the face of the mirror and form a grid. The Royal School of Needlework’s StitchBank calls this first stage the part that “anchors the mirror firmly”.
- The border stitch. A ring of stitches is then worked round the edge. Threads magazine puts it this way: “The shisha stitch encloses the mirror or paillette behind a cage-like border that secures the mirror without needing to sew through it.”
The TRC names one other method: “Sometimes a round, tin frame is placed over the glass and then the frame is sewn down onto the ground material.” It also says that “By the end of the twentieth century small plastic frames were becoming more and more common as a method of holding down the mirror glass or plastic discs.”
Glue and tape appear only as a step before stitching. The RSN StitchBank says glue may be used to stabilise the mirror before you start to stitch. The Threads how-to fixes the piece in place with double-sided tape first, then stitches.
How does a thread-caged mirror differ from a paillette with a hole?
On a top or dress, the difference is the hole. A mirror has none. The paillettes in the Threads how-to have one, but they are still caged by the shisha stitch.
| Thread-caged mirror (glass or mica) | Paillette with a hole | |
|---|---|---|
| Hole | “no holes that can be used to fasten the circles down” (TRC) | “20 mm or 30 mm with a small hole” (Threads) |
| How it is held | “a system of criss-cross threads is used” (TRC) | “a cage-like border that secures the mirror without needing to sew through it” (Threads) |
| Materiał | Mica, then glass, then plastic discs (TRC) | “an inexpensive and lightweight alternative to metal or glass mirrors” (Threads) |
What can go wrong with mirror work on a kaftan or dress?
On a kaftan or dress, the risk sits in the thread. A mirror has no hole, so the holding threads and the border are the only things keeping it on the cloth. If those threads fail, nothing else holds the mirror.
The base cloth matters too. Threads advises home stitchers to “Prewash the material.” Its reason: “If the fabric shrinks after the shisha is applied, it may distort.” It also says “Woven, nonstretch fabrics are best.” For a light fabric it says to “apply spray starch to the fabric’s wrong side to stabilize it.”
Test the sample kaftan, szczyt, dress or bag before you approve it.
What should a buyer check on the sample top, kaftan or bag?
On the sample top, kaftan or bag, check each mirror by eye and by hand. Look for:
- Holding threads that cross the face of every mirror, not just a border round the edge.
- A border that sits over the rim of the mirror on all sides, with no gap at the edge.
- A mirror that does not shift or tilt when you press it with a fingertip.
- Thread ends finished on the reverse, not left loose.
- Flat cloth round each mirror, with no puckering.
Then wash the sample as the care label will say, and rub the mirror area to copy wear. Rub where wear is likely, such as near a bag strap, a kaftan hem or a top cuff. Check the mirrors and the border again afterwards. For other trims, zobacz naszą uwagę dotyczącą kaftan embellishment options, or browse our kaftany I topy i bluzki.
What to put in the spec for mirror work on kaftans, topy, dresses and bags
- Piece: mirror glass, mica, plastic disc, or paillette with a hole. State size and shape.
- Fixing: criss-cross holding threads over the face, plus a border stitch round the edge. State whether a tin or plastic frame is allowed.
- Glue or tape: state whether it may be used before stitching. Thread must still cage every piece.
- Nitka: fibre, thickness and colour for the holding threads and for the border.
- Base cloth: tkanina, and whether it is prewashed before the mirror work.
- Z powrotem: how thread ends are finished, and whether a lining or facing covers the reverse.
- Rozmieszczenie wzoru: where mirrors may and may not go on the kaftan, szczyt, dress or bag.
- Sample tests: a press check on every mirror, a wash to the care label, and a rub test on the mirror area, all checked again afterwards.
- Zatwierdzenie: bulk mirror work must match the approved sample.
KK Fashion Exports produkowało sukienki, topy i kaftany dla nabywców na całym świecie od 2003, z 200 sztuk na wzór, na kolor.
Planowanie kolekcji kaftanów? Zobacz, jak pracujemy jako producenci kaftanów w Indiach.
Zobacz lookbook Torby → rzut okiem na naszą najnowszą kolekcję. Poproś o pełny asortyment: więcej wzorów na zamówienie.
