Embroidery and fancy work · 8 October 2026 · 3 min read

Balochi embroidery (doch): panels, cuffs and pocket

Balochi embroidery, known as doch, is fine geometric needlework set in panels on the dress: the front, the cuffs and a long pocket. How kurtas borrow the look.

Inspiration

What doch is

Balochi embroidery, called doch in the Balochi language, is very fine, closely packed geometric needlework from Balochistan, traditionally stitched by hand onto set panels of a woman’s dress. Where other regional styles spread across the cloth, Balochi work is concentrated: a few panels are covered almost completely, and the rest of the dress is left plain.

The stitches are tiny and the patterns are built from small units, so a panel reads as texture from a distance and as intricate geometry up close.

The panels of a Balochi dress

The traditional dress, the pashk, is long, loose and wide in the sleeve. Its embroidery follows a fixed plan, and that plan is what makes a Balochi dress recognisable even in a photograph too small to show the stitches:

The front panel: a broad yoke covering the chest from the neckline down, usually the densest work on the dress.
The cuffs: deep bands at the ends of the wide sleeves, in the same pattern as the yoke.
The long pocket: a tall, narrow panel at the centre front, running from below the yoke towards the hem and often rising to a point. It works as a real pocket and is often called the pandol.
Trouser hems: the shalwar worn underneath often carries a matching band at the ankle.

Patterns, colours and stitches

The motifs are geometric: diamonds, chevrons, arrowheads, zigzags, stars and small stylised flowers, repeated in rows and nested inside one another. There are many named patterns, and they vary by region and community. Red is the traditional anchor colour, worked with dark green, black, white, orange, blue and purple, on a plain or printed ground. Some styles include small mirrors.

The work is done in fine satin, chain and interlacing stitches packed so closely that the ground cloth almost disappears inside the panel. A full set of hand-worked panels is slow work, and machine-embroidered panel sets in Balochi patterns are now widely sold as a lighter, quicker alternative.

How kurtas borrow the look

A closer cut needs more planning than the loose original. The yoke has to match your shoulder and chest measurements, and the cuffs your sleeve opening, so the panels are sized to the pattern before any embroidery starts. See yokes and panels for how a yoke joins the body of a kameez. The usual adaptations are:

Yoke and cuffs only: a pointed or squared worked yoke with matching sleeve bands on a straight or A-line kurta. The simplest version for everyday wear.
A centre panel below the waist: a narrow vertical panel echoing the pocket, either decorative or made as a working pocket. Our guide to pockets on kurtas covers the practical side.
The full layout on a long frock: all four panels on a loose, long dress, closest to the original.
A plain strong ground: black, maroon, deep green or a bright solid colour, so the panels stand out.

Balochi or Sindhi?

The two are neighbours and share some stitches and the use of mirrors. Balochi work is finer in scale, more strictly geometric and confined to its panels. Sindhi embroidery is bolder, more varied in stitch and more generous with mirrors.

Asking for a Balochi-style outfit

Hand doch is a specialist regional craft, and it should not be assumed from any maker, including us. Describe the layout you want, such as yoke and cuffs or the full four panels, the colours, and how fine the pattern should look, and send a photo. We confirm what is possible on your fabric and design in the written quote. If you already own a set of embroidered panels with your fabric, send photos of every piece before posting anything; our guide to using neckline pieces and borders explains how such pieces are stitched in. Embroidery itself is explained on the custom embroidery page, and the Send Your Design form takes your photos and notes.

Common questions

What does doch mean?

Doch is the Balochi word for embroidery. It is used for the craft as a whole and for the embroidered panels on the traditional dress.

Is Balochi embroidery heavy to wear?

The worked panels are dense and firm, but the rest of the dress is plain and loose, so the weight is concentrated at the chest and cuffs. Machine-made panels are noticeably lighter than hand-worked ones.

How can you tell hand-worked Balochi embroidery from machine-made?

Look at the reverse and at the repeats. Hand work shows small variations between one motif and the next and an uneven back. Machine panels repeat exactly and have a uniform under-thread on the reverse.

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