Glossary

Words of the craft

The words makers use, from the ajrak printer's mud resist to the khussa maker's metallic thread. Each one has a source, and a story if we've written one.

A

Ajrak: Cloth block printed and resist dyed by hand in Sindh, usually deep indigo and crimson with white and black outlining the pattern. [1] Read: How ajrak is made →
Alizarin: The red dye of the ajrak, worked in a copper vat over a log fire for a couple of hours. [2] Read: How ajrak is made →

B

Biscuit firing: The first firing of a blue-pottery piece, at 800 to 850°C, before it is painted, glazed and fired again. [4] Read: Multani blue pottery →

C

Chappu: The sharp, knife-like tools Chiniot's woodcarvers use. [8]
Charsuti (dusuti): A quicker Gilgit-Baltistan embroidery in thick woollen thread, on loosely woven cloth. [12]

D

Dochgir: A professional embroiderer in Balochistan. Tens of thousands of Baloch women work as dochgirs. [10] Read: Handmade gifts from Pakistan →

I

Iraghi (iraqi): Gilgit-Baltistan's finest embroidery: silk on thick cotton, worked in cross and roll stitches for women's caps and bridal collars. [12] Read: Handmade gifts from Pakistan →

J

Jandi: Hala's lacquered woodwork, made into lamps, boxes, vases and furniture. [5]

K

Kashi kari (kashigari): The craft of glazing and decorating fired clay, as tiles or pottery. The name is widely believed to come from Kashan, in Persia. [3] Read: Multani blue pottery →
Kashigar: A craftsman who practises kashi kari. [3] Read: Multani blue pottery →
Khadi: Hand-woven cloth, made in Hala from cotton, silk and wool. [5]
Kharrh: The mud resist printed on an ajrak before it goes into the indigo: a paste of rice, alum, molasses, fuller's earth, fennel and gum. [2] Read: How ajrak is made →
Khussa: A flat leather shoe made entirely by hand, from curing the leather to stitching the sole and upper. [6] Read: The Multani khussa →
Khussa saaz: A khussa maker: in Multan they stitch the leather soles and tilla-embroidered uppers by hand. [7] Read: The Multani khussa →

N

Nagra: A khussa style usually made of camel skin. [6] Read: The Multani khussa →
Namda: A rug made by felting wool instead of weaving woollen threads. [14]
Naqashi: Multan's painted camel-skin lampshades and vases. [7]

P

Pakol: A soft, flat, round-topped wool cap with a rolled brim, from Gilgit and Chitral. [13] Read: Handmade gifts from Pakistan →
Pashk: The Baloch woman's frock-like dress, embroidered on the sleeves, the long side pockets and the shalwar cuffs. [10] Read: Handmade gifts from Pakistan →
Peshawari chappal: The Pashtun leather sandal of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, made to order in markets such as Peshawar's Namak Mandi. [9] Read: The Peshawari chappal →

R

Rilli: A patchwork quilt found in Sindhi homes and often given as a gift. [5]

S

Saleem Shahi: A khussa style, usually goat skin, whose name is linked to Saleem, the emperor Jahangir. [6] Read: The Multani khussa →
Shisha: Small pieces of mirror stitched into Balochi and other embroidery. [11]

T

Tilla: Metallic thread, gold or silver, used for the shining embroidery on formal khussas. [6] Read: The Multani khussa →

Know a word we should add? Tell us.

Words of the craft

A

B

C

D

I

J

K

N

P

R

S

T

Sources