Tashkent Suzani

Suzanis are dowery embroidered pieces that are formed by several panels that are embroidered by the female members of the bride’s family and then are stitched together lengthwise to form large panels that can be used as bedcovers, wallhanging or any other domestic purpose.

Suzanis can be traced to their exact origins according to their decorating style. The two different kinds of suzanis that come out of Tashkent, Uzbekistan are called “paliak” (moon design) and “gulkurpa” (flower cloth). This suzani represents the paliak type in which the entire surface is covered with red circular blossoms.

This Tashkent suzani contains one large center medallion and forty smaller circular designs that are embroidered in polychromatic silk, mostly reds. The circles are spaced equally apart and have dark green leafy designs and small fish-like figures surrounding each circle and dividing the main ground into sections. It is made of five cotton panels embroidered in couching stitch and chain stitch variants and then sewn together lengthwise.