Lesson 7.3
Aari Sequin Petals: Combining Fish Scale and Snake Filling
In this lesson, you will apply fish scale and snake filling to a flower petal using the Indian Aari technique. You will begin with guided rows, returning with plain stitches between sequin rows, then change direction by adding sequins on the return journey. This variation creates a fuller appearance and shows how sequin direction can shape floral embroidery.
Materials to Prepare
Embroidery frame with mounted fabric
Printed petal patterns
Pencil suitable for marking your fabric
Lunéville hook
Embroidery thread
Loose sequins
Soft pad for holding the sequins
Scissors
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Transfer two petal outlines, one with internal guidelines and one without.
Follow a petal’s border with sequins using the Aari technique.
Use plain return stitches to create fish scale filling.
Position return stitches close to the existing sequin row.
Switch to snake filling by adding sequins in the opposite direction.
Vary sequin direction to give a petal more volume.
Recognise these filling methods in finished floral embroidery.
Your Practice
Trace both petal patterns onto your fabric and begin with the petal that has internal guidelines. Make a starting lock and embroider the first row of sequins along its border.
Add a short securing stitch, then return with plain stitches placed close to the sequins rather than directly on the next guideline. Make another short stitch and embroider the next sequin row along the drawn line. Repeat to practise fish scale filling.
To introduce volume, make a short turning stitch and immediately return with sequins, switching to snake filling for that row. Then resume the fish scale sequence, returning with plain stitches between sequin rows.
Observe how the changes in sequin direction affect the petal’s appearance. Use the flower examples shown in the lesson as inspiration for future designs.