Embroidered motifs in a suit pack: where do they go?

What the motifs are and how they go on

A loose motif is embroidered on a base cloth, often organza, net or the suit fabric itself, then cut out. Some have a small margin of base cloth left round them to turn under; others are trimmed close to the stitching. They are attached by hand with small stitches round the edge, or by machine with a narrow zigzag or a straight stitch just inside the embroidered outline. Heavier motifs on fine lawn may need a light backing behind the kameez fabric so they do not pull it out of shape.

Common placements

The catalogue photo of your suit is the first place to look, since the motifs were designed for a particular layout; our guide to recreating a design from a catalogue photo helps you read it. Without a photo, these are the familiar positions:

• Sleeves: one on each sleeve above the cuff or the sleeve border, or a pair on each.
• Front scatter: three to five motifs on a diagonal or a gentle curve across the front.
• Beside the placket or neckline: a matching pair either side.
• Back: one at the centre below the neck, or a pair across the shoulders.
• Above the hem or slits: a pair either side of the front, or one at the top of each slit.
• Trouser hems: one per leg on the outer side.
• Dupatta: one in each corner, which needs four.

Spacing and symmetry

Pairs look deliberate when they mirror each other exactly across the centre front or centre back. Measure each one from a fixed point, such as the shoulder seam or the hem, rather than by eye. Keep motifs a couple of centimetres away from seams and hems so they are not caught in the stitching or folded into a turn-up. If a motif has a direction, such as flowers on a stem, it should point upwards; some packs include left and right versions that are meant to face each other.

Spread across the front, motifs look calmer with equal gaps between them than when clustered at one side. Our guide to where to place embroidery on a kameez explains how placement changes the look.

When the pack has an odd number

Packs often come with five, seven or some other odd count. A few ways to handle it:

• Put one on the centre line, below the back neck or at the base of the placket, and pair the rest.
• If the motifs come in two sizes, use the large ones singly on centre lines and the small ones in pairs.
• Use an odd number in a single scatter across the front, where symmetry is not expected.
• Leave one out and keep it with your spare fabric for a future repair.

Telling whoever stitches your suit

Count the motifs, measure the largest and smallest, and photograph them laid out on the fabric roughly where you want them, alongside the catalogue picture. Our page on what is inside an embroidered lawn pack helps you identify each piece. For Stitching Only, add the photos and notes when you ask for a stitching-only quote; the placement is agreed in writing before cutting.