What is jaal embroidery? All-over patterns explained

Jaal, booti, bel and border: the layout words

Sellers and tailors use a small set of words for where embroidery sits. Knowing them makes a product description much easier to read.

• Jaal: a connected pattern across the whole piece, or across a whole section such as the front or the sleeves.
• Booti: small separate motifs scattered at intervals, with plain fabric between them. A larger single motif is a boota.
• Bel: a running vine or creeper, usually used as a line along an edge or down the front.
• Border: a band of pattern that follows an edge such as the daman, the sleeve hem or the dupatta.

Jaal is not jaali

One similar word causes confusion. In chikankari, jaali is a stitch that teases the threads of the cloth apart to make a tiny mesh of holes. It is a texture inside a motif, not an all-over layout. Our chikankari guide covers it, and the glossary lists more of these terms.

The main kinds of jaal design on a kameez

Geometric jaal is a trellis: diamonds, squares or hexagons repeated edge to edge, sometimes with a small flower in each cell. Floral jaal links flowers and leaves with curling stems so the eye travels across the fabric without stopping. A half jaal thins out as it goes, dense at the neckline or hem and fading to scattered motifs, which gives much of the effect with less stitching.

A jaal design on a kameez may cover the front only, the front and sleeves, or every piece. The back is often left plain or given a lighter version, because it takes the wear of sitting and is seen less.

What all-over embroidery means in practice

Covering the whole cloth changes more than the look.

• Weight and drape: every stitch adds thread. A close jaal makes lawn or chiffon noticeably heavier and firmer, so the kameez hangs straighter and flows less.
• Lining: the reverse of the work now covers a large area next to the skin, and on sheer fabric it shows as shadow. A lining is usually worth having. See embroidery and lining.
• Cutting: the pattern has to sit centred on the front and meet tidily at the side seams, and darts or panels interrupt it. A straight or gently A-line kameez shows a jaal well.
• Warmth and care: more thread means a warmer garment and gentler washing.
• Amount of work: coverage, density and the number of thread colours decide how long it takes, which is why all-over work is quoted differently from a neckline.

Which level to ask for

On our quote form, embroidery is chosen by level: delicate for a neckline or sleeves, detailed for neckline, sleeves and hem, and statement for bolder work for Eid and parties. All-over embroidery belongs at the statement end. Our guide to choosing a level compares the three. If you would like the effect of a jaal with less weight, ask for an open pattern, a half jaal or a jaal on the sleeves alone.

Send a photo of the pattern you like through the Send Your Design form and say which pieces it should cover. We confirm what is possible on your fabric and design in the written quote, as the custom embroidery page explains.