Embroidered trouser hems: what a paincha can carry

Shape by shape

Each trouser gives the hem a different job. Our trouser styles pages describe the shapes in full.

• Shalwar: the cuff is narrow and usually stiffened, so it suits rows of stitching, a slim embroidered band or a narrow lace. See the shalwar page.
• Straight trousers: the easiest canvas. A flat hem takes embroidery, a lace edging, a scalloped finish or a border, often with a small side slit.
• Cigarette pants: slim and cropped at the ankle. Keep to a narrow line or a small motif at the outer ankle, clear of the slit or zip that lets the foot through.
• Palazzo and wide legs: the hem is wide enough for a deeper border, but it swings close to the ground and uses a long run of trim.
• Sharara and gharara: very full hems that traditionally carry a border; the fullness means a great deal of length to cover.
• Churidar: the gathers at the ankle hide any detail, so the hem is normally left plain.

How hem width and length limit the work

Width. The band runs right round each leg, so the distance round the hem, doubled, is the amount of work or lace needed. A pattern with a repeat should meet neatly at the inner leg seam, which is easier with a small repeat than a large one. On a narrow hem, a stiff band can also stop the foot passing through, so the firmer the work, the more opening the hem needs.

Length. A hem that ends at the ankle bone keeps its embroidery in view and off the ground. A hem that reaches the floor hides the work under the foot and wears it out. Decide the finished length with the shoes you will wear, then have the work placed to that length. Our trouser measuring guide shows where to measure to. An embroidered hem is hard to shorten later, as our article on hemming trousers and shalwars explains.

Wear from shoes and floors

The ankle is a rough place for embroidery. Buckles and sandal straps catch loops of thread, heels tread on long hems, and pavements, car mats and damp floors soil the lowest edge first. A few choices make a worked hem last:

• Keep the densest part of the pattern a little above the edge, with a plain turned hem or piping taking the scuffs.
• Prefer flat, close stitches to long loose ones, raised work or anything that dangles.
• Treat open scalloped edges as occasion wear: they fray faster at the ankle than at a sleeve.
• Ask for the reverse to be covered if the work sits on the ankle bone or the top of the foot, where the back of the stitching can rub.

Asking for an embroidered paincha

When we stitch your suit, embroidery, lace or a border at the trouser hem can be requested with the rest of the outfit. Lace on a trouser hem, like any lace or border, is something we plan only into outfits we stitch. Say which trouser shape you want, how deep the band should be and whether it should echo the kameez sleeve or daman, and send a photo if you have one. We confirm what is possible on your fabric and design in the written quote. See custom embroidery for how the levels work, then use the quote form.