Getting fabric bought by the metre stitched

Measure and label each length

Lay each length flat on the floor or a bed and measure it in centimetres or inches. Two numbers matter, and a label keeps them straight.

• Length: along the finished edge (the selvedge), from one cut end to the other.
• Width: across, from selvedge to selvedge. Width changes how many pieces fit side by side, which is why our fabric widths guide is worth a look.
• A label: a strip of masking tape with a letter (A, B, C) and the measurements, so photos and notes can refer to each length clearly.
• Any flaws: a pulled thread, a dye mark or a crease that will not press out. Photograph it with the label in view.

Decide which length does what

Tell us your intended use for each length, for example “A for the kameez, B for the trousers, C for the dupatta”. If you are unsure, say so, and we suggest a plan that suits the design and your measurements. A long kameez with full sleeves takes considerably more fabric than a short kurta with elbow sleeves, and wide palazzos need more than slim trousers, so the plan depends on the whole outfit rather than on any single number. The three-piece fabric guide gives a rough sense of proportions.

Check the direction of the design as well. Some prints and woven patterns run one way only, such as florals that all grow upwards, and those need more length because every piece has to be cut the same way up.

Lengths from different shops

Mixing fabrics is one of the pleasures of buying by the metre, and a few checks save disappointment later.

• Weight: a heavy cotton trouser under a fine lawn kameez can drag the look down. Similar weights usually hang together well.
• Shrinkage: cotton and viscose may shrink at different rates. If you plan to wash the finished suit at home, consider pre-washing the lengths first, and tell us whether you did.
• Colour: dark or bright lengths can bleed onto pale ones. A quick colour-fastness test on a corner is worth doing.
• Care: if one length needs gentle hand washing and another can go in a hot machine wash, the finished suit will have to be treated like the more delicate one. Decide whether you can live with that.

Getting it quoted and stitched

Upload photos of every labelled length on the Stitching Only quote form, with your measurements and a picture of the design you want. We confirm that the fabric suits the design and that there is enough, and agree how you send it, before you post anything to us in Pakistan.

After you approve the written quote and pay in full, production takes 5 to 7 working days from the day the fabric arrives. The unstitched suit stitching page explains the two shipping stages. Shoppers on Belgrave Road in Leicester or along Oak Tree Road in Edison often come home with exactly this kind of mixed bundle, and it can be planned into an outfit just as well as a ready-made pack.