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Alpa Thakkar is a contemporary American - living in the suburbs, caring for her daughter, and working in New York at a jewelry business she runs with her husband. But she is also a master of the traditional Kutchi embroidery found in the northern Indian state of Gujarat. Growing up in southern India, Alpa learned many traditional stitches from her mother. It was an aunt visiting from Gujarati who introduced her to the Kutchi style, which uses geometric, counted thread patterns called soof. Embroidery is one way Alpa maintains her connection to India.
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 Alpa Thakkar, Gujarati Kutchi Embroidery,
NJN/State of the Arts, 2008 (2:50)
State of the Arts visits with Alpa Thakkar, an Indian skilled at traditional Gujarati Kutchi embroidery. Alpa is by profession a jeweler, however, in her off time, she enjoys making the colorful embroidered clothing worn by Indian women for Navrati and other festivals.
(Excerpt from the State of the Arts special, Culture in Context)
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Kutchi soof embroidery is worked in squares that repeat to form various geometric patterns. Thread is sewn through the cloth at the points of each square forming the foundation, then woven on the surface.
Alpa Thakkar has a love of art and design and has pursued these in her formal education and in her career. She creates original jewelry designs, often using a computer-assisted design program. The jewelry is then manufactured and sold through the business she and her husband operate.
Her love of design can be traced to her childhood in India, where she learned the embroidery stitches she still uses today. Like many Indians in New Jersey, Alpa attends weddings and celebrations such as the nine-day festival of Navratri at local temples. On these occasions, women often wear festive clothing that has been embroidered with colorful designs. Alpa has made outfits like this for herself. As she puts it, "This kind of embroidery is so colorful and vibrant - it's like you're showing your joy."
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