“An enchanted city that rivals the finest architecture of the Italian Renaissance.”
(Fitzroy Maclean, Eastern Approaches)
Bukhara, originally meaning ‘lucky place’, is an elegant city in Uzbekistan, which historic centre is a Unesco world heritage site. It was a key trading point on the ancient silk road and an early centre of scholarship, culture and religion. Bukharan textiles are known, loved and collected throughout the world for their vivid colour and form.
Bukhara also refers to a form of couching stitch (also known as basma), where the previous couching is secured with a small slanted stitch on the way back. It’s not a difficult stitch but is very effective and interesting, with many potential uses in soft furnishings, e.g. decorating an edge as a single row, finishing hems, filling in appliqué…
Knowing the early origins and heritage of a stitch adds to the interest of working it.