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

What is hemstitch? Drawn-thread edges on dupattas

What is hemstitch? Threads are drawn from the cloth and the rest bundled into a lacy line beside a hem. Fabrics that suit it, and hemstitch vs pico edges.

Inspiration

What hemstitching is

Hemstitch is a form of drawn-thread work. One or more threads are pulled out of the cloth in a straight line parallel to an edge, leaving a narrow band of loose crossing threads. Those threads are then gathered into small bundles with stitches, which open up a delicate ladder or lacy line and, at the same time, hold the folded hem in place.

It has long been used on handkerchiefs and table linen, and you will see it on dupatta ends, kurta hems, sleeve edges and necklines, where it gives a light, airy finish without any added lace.

Common variations

The basic idea allows a surprising number of looks, depending on how the bundles are formed and how wide the drawn band is.

Single hemstitch: bundles secured along one side of the band only, the simplest version.
Ladder hemstitch: both sides of the band stitched so the bundles form straight bars like a ladder.
Zigzag or serpentine hemstitch: each bundle split and regrouped with its neighbour, giving a zigzag line.
Several rows: two or more drawn bands side by side for a wider decorative border.
Machine hemstitch: a winged needle pushes a row of holes into the cloth without removing threads, giving a similar effect.

Fabrics that allow it

Hand hemstitch needs a plain, evenly woven cloth where single threads can be pulled out in a clean straight line. Linen, cotton lawn, voile, cambric and fine muslin suit it well. Knits, dense jacquards and heavily textured weaves do not, because there is no clear thread to draw, and a print can look broken where the threads are removed. Very fine chiffon and some synthetics are difficult, because the threads slip.

Since the line follows a single thread, it runs straight along the grain, which our article on what fabric grain is explains. That is also why hemstitch suits straight edges rather than curves.

Hemstitch, pico and rolled edges

These three are often mentioned together because they all finish an edge, but they look quite different. Hemstitch is openwork set just inside a hem. In Pakistan, “pico” usually means a narrow machine-finished edge on a dupatta, sewn with a tight, dense stitch that wraps the raw edge; in Western sewing a picot edge is one with tiny decorative loops. A rolled hem is the fabric itself rolled very narrowly and stitched down. Our dupatta finishing ideas show these and other edge finishes side by side.

Asking for a hemstitched finish

Hemstitch is best described as a look rather than ordered by name. Send a close-up photo of the finish you like, say where it should go, and we confirm in the written quote what is possible on your fabric and design; sending a reference photo of embroidery shows how to take a useful one. Decorative work can be added to an outfit we stitch or worked on your own fabric through our custom embroidery service. Ask for a quote with your photo, and see cutwork embroidery for another kind of openwork.

Common questions

Does hemstitching weaken the fabric?

A little, because threads are removed along the band. Worked along the grain and well secured, it holds up to normal wear, but it should be washed gently and not pulled hard while wet.

Is hemstitch done by hand or by machine?

Both. By hand, threads are removed and the rest bundled with stitches. Machine versions often use a winged needle to push holes into the cloth without removing threads, which gives a similar look.

Can hemstitch go on a curved hem?

Not easily, because it follows a single straight thread. It suits straight edges such as dupatta ends, straight hems and sleeve edges best.

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