Here, the pattern is divided into smaller sections. Every alternate stitch will be small and half the size of the previuos stitch. This is how the brick like effect comes into being. The lesson will help you to understand this.

My pattern to fill will be a leaf shape. Click on the picture for a zoomed in version.  

Fig 1: I first divided the leaf into 4 major sections indicated by capital alphabets. Then, I further divided each major section into two, indicated by small alphabets.		Fig 2: We begin stitching the satin stitch to cover the first section, between A-B. Stitches B-A will be long, and stitches a-A will be shorter. Keep the stitches straight. Take note that the stitches are long and short alternately.
Fig 3: Once the section between A-B is done, we move to the section between B-C.  We continue stitching between C-B for long stitches  and b-a  for short stitches. The ends of stitches of the new section will meet the ends of the stitches in the previous section.Note that the ‘long’ stitches are beteen the capital letters, while the ’sort’ ones between small letters.		Fig 4: We continue this procedure for the entire leaf till it is all done. The result would be like you see above…a brick effect. Note that, it is only in the first section that we do the stitches long and short. For the sections that follow, all the stitches are technically of the same length, but show up long and short due to the effect we made in the first section.

You need to know the satin stitch to be able to do this stitch. I will work on a leaf pattern.

Fig 1: I first divide the leaf pattern into sections. I have done 4 sections. This is to aid your stitching and also this tutorial. But, once you learn this stitch, making such sections is only a choice of convenience.		Fig 2: Bring the needle out from the edge of the first stitch line as in the illustration. Every stitch will be done straight.
Fig 3: Now, start doing the satin stitch to fill in the first section of the leaf. Such smaller satin stitches are more durable and good to look at.		Fig 4: Once you finish one section, it will look like this. Continue and bring the needle out from the second stitch line to fill the second section.
Fig 5: You continue to fill up the next section with satin stitch as well. The only thing to be careful about is to set the stitches between two stitches of the previous section. See the illustration.		Fig 6: You continue the procedure of ‘encroaching’ between the stitches of the previous sections where they share the same stitch line. This is what gives the stitch its name.
		Fig 7: A finished pattern of leaf will look like this. If you click on the image, you will get a zoomed version where you can probably make out the ‘encroachments’.

You need to know any basic straight line stitch like chain stitch, outline stitch , or  back stitch, to do the outlining. You also need to know the satin stitch.

Fig 1: First, stitch an outline of the pattern to be done. I have used chain stitch to outline, but you can use any straight stitch like the back stitch or the outline stitch.		Fig 2: Once the outline is done, fill the inside of the pattern with straight stitches. You can fill it up with chain stitch too. The idea is to give a padding for the satin stitch that we will be doing, so we need not make this stitch to cover the pattern entirely.
Fig 3: Once that is done, do the satin stitch to cover the pattern. The needle needs to go in and out of the fabric from outside the chain stitch.		Fig 4: The completed pattern will look like this.

embroidery sample: zalakdozi

About
‘Zalakdozi’, essentially means chain stitch. This type of embroidery includes only chain stitch. Zalakdozi is known to be an exclusive embroidery from the state of Kashmir in Inida, and thus populary known as ‘kashmiri’. It is to be noted that Kashmir has other types of embroideries using other sticthes like the satin stitch too. Zalakdozi typically uses wool, cotton or silk thread. It is done not using a needle, but a hook known as ‘ari’. Using a hook to do this embroidery saves on time and energy as the hook is used to pull a series of  loops of the chain stitch, as against the single loops that has to be done using a needle. Yet, we can go through the pain of using needle to replicate this work using needle, all for the worth of its richness and beauty.  One interesting thing to know is that all kashmiri embroidery artisans are men.
The main feature of Zalakdozi is the use of chain stitch in concentric rings to fill a pattern. How to color this filling is left upto the artisan.

History
There has been many claims on how this type of hookware embroidery originated. There is a belief that it originated along with crochet ( a french craft), where hooks called the ‘tambour’ hooks were used to create chain stitch. Some believe that the inspiration is drawn from a shoemaker’s hook. Yet, another belief is that this art is as old as 700 years. In the 13th century, the Italian traveller, Marco Polo describes of patterns similar to that of kashmiri used centuries earlier. But, material facts put it that it originated in the 16th century. One fact known is that in the 16th century, it was deeply encouraged by the mughal emperors and this helped many artisans to thrive. One study states that this type of embroidery was introduced in Kashmir from Damascus.

Zalakdozi today
This embroidery carries an international market and is known as one of the finest and expensive works of art. Due to market demands, this stitch can be found on almost all kinds of furnishing fabrics and many kinds of dresses.Market demand has also prompted the use of machines to produce this embroidery to be sold at more affordable price. However, the exquisiteness and richness of a hand produced kashmiri embroidery can never be replaced by the perfectness and flawlessness of  machines. Many artisans of Kashmir earn their livelihood using zalakdozi.

Patterns used
Traditionally floral and leaf patterns were used. The designs varied from persian to the western to the most popular mango seed design of India. But, market demands have created a way for more contemporary patterns that involve animals too.

Stitches used
Zalakdozi uses only chain stitch. The use of lazy daisy and zig zag chain stitch happen occasionally.

You need to know the satin stitch to be able to do this stitch.

Fig 1: First, lay the foundation by doing satin stitch. Use a contrasting colored thread to ‘whip’ over the satin stitch. Bring the needle out through A and take it diagonally into B. Then, bring out through C which lies vertically below B, and continue the process of whipping.		Fig 2: After finishing the finished pattern would look like this.

Also, when doing satin stitch, we have to make sure the stitches are not pulled too tightly as it will distort the fabric. Keeping it too lose will sag the stitch. To avoid these two conditions, it will be advisable to use an embroidery ring to hold the fabric tight. When the fabric is taut, the satin stitch will be easier to do.

Another thing to keep in mind is not to keep this stitch too long. If your pattern happens to be big, you can divide it into smaller sections and each section can be filled with shorter satin stitches. Else, opt for another stitch from the satin stitch family which will help you to fill larger areas or patterns. These include the brick stitch, encroaching satin stitch, and long and short stitch.

I will be demonstrating over an area between two stitch lines, without any outline stitch.  

Fig 1: Bring the needle out through A and put it in through B. So, that makes a stitch which covers a small area between the stitch lines.		Fig 2: Now, bring the needle back through C, a point very close to A. Continue this action over the two stitch lines.
		Fig 3: Once finished, the area is filled as shown above. You will be spending as much thread on the reverse side as you do on the actual side of the fabric.

There are different varieties of satin stitch, each to suit the pattern to be done.

handembroidery sample : satin stitch family

Many cultures use satin stitch for their embroidery purposes. It is found in the lands of north Africa, south America, western Asia, south-eastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent.  

Amongst all, China used it in plenty. Many robes have been decorated using the satin stitch in the finest way in ancient China.  The folk embroideries of Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam include techniques adapted from China. The skills of creating satin stitch images were carried to an extent where double sided images were created on a single piece of silk. This is an extremely complicated technique with its roots believed to be from the third century.

In India, one of the well known embroideries using satin stitch is the ‘Phulkari’ from the Punjab region. ‘Phulkari’ means ‘flower work’ and the finest of them is called ‘bagh’, which means ‘garden’ . It is done in marigold colored thread over rust colored cloth. The importance of ‘Phulkari’ shawls still prevail amongst women of India and Pakistan. When a girl is born, her maternal grandmother begins embroidering a ‘bagh’ which later becomes a part of the trousseau during the girl’s wedding.

I will follow a slightly  curved line. This stitch is done from left to right.  The thinner the thread or bigger the base, the more it accentuates the feature of this stitch.

Fig 1: Start by bringing out the needle through A and putting it in through B. Both these points lie above the stitch line. Then, bring the needle out through C which lies right under A and below the stitch line.		Fig 2: Keep the stitch A-B a bit loose. Take the needle under A-B without plucking the fabric beneath.
Fig 3: Now, once again take the needle under A-B as shown in the illustration.		Fig 4: Pull the needle out to get a knot as shown above and slightly pull it down to bend the stitch A-B towards the centre. Then, put the needle in through D, a point right under B and below the stitch line. Bring it back up again from B as shown.
Fig 5: Continue the procedure by taking the needle in through E, which lies above the stitch line and bring it out through D. Make the knot and pull the stitch B-E towards the centre so that the knot falls on the stitch line. Keep up with this procedure for the entire design.		Fig 6: A finished line of sorbello stitch would look like this. Using a thinner thread would have accentuated the features of this stitch.
		Fig 7: This is a sample of the sorbello stitch done on a broader base. Here, you can see the features of this stitch more clearly.

This stitch is worked from right to left and  has a wider base with the knot falling on the stitch line. It looks like a barbed knotted stitch. Traditionally basque loop is used with basque stitch (of chain stitch family).

I will be working this stitch on a slightly curved stitch line.

Fig 1: Bring the needle out through A, which lies on the right end of the stitch line. Then, take the needle in through B, bringing it out through C. Note that, both B and C lie on either side of the stitch line. This is what gives the stitch a wider base.		Fig 2: Now, take the needle under the stitch A-B without plucking the fabric underneath.  Note that the needle is placed below the point C. Pull the needle out.
Fig 3:  Now, take the needle in under A-B again without plucking the fabric underneath. Note that this time you bring the needle out from above the point C. Loop the thread around the needle as shown.		Fig 4: Now pull out the needle to form the knot. Continue with procedure of putting in and bringing out the needle from either side of the stitch line.
		Fig 5: A finished line of basque knot would look like this.