Our Craft: Hand Embroidery

Hand embroidery is the oldest way of decorating cloth. A person threads a needle, draws a pattern on the fabric and fills it with stitches, one at a time. Every Zauq kurta, trouser and set is embroidered by hand, and this page explains what that means.

What is hand embroidery?

Hand embroidery is decoration made with needle and thread, without a machine. In Pakistan it is often called hath ki kadhai, and a kurta with this kind of work is sometimes called a kadhai wali kurti. The stitches sit on the surface of the fabric and build up motifs such as flowers, vines and borders.

How hand embroidered clothes are made

The details differ from maker to maker, but hand embroidered clothes generally follow the same steps:

1. Design: a pattern is chosen or drawn for the neckline, panel or border.
2. Marking: the design is transferred to the fabric so the embroiderer can follow it.
3. Framing: the fabric is held taut so the stitches stay even.
4. Stitching: the embroiderer fills the pattern, stitch by stitch, with the chosen threads.
5. Finishing: loose ends are secured, the fabric is pressed and the piece is cut and stitched into a garment.

The stitches you may see

• Running stitch: a simple line of evenly spaced stitches.
• Satin stitch: close, parallel stitches that fill a shape with a smooth surface.
• Chain stitch: looped stitches that form a raised line.
• French knot: a small twisted knot used for centres and texture.

Why it feels different

Because a person places every stitch, hand embroidery carries small variations that machines do not have. No two motifs are exactly the same, and that is part of what makes a piece feel personal. If you want to compare it with machine work, read our guide to hand and machine embroidery.

Caring for hand embroidery

Gentle care keeps the stitches in place. Our care guide shows how to wash, dry and iron an embroidered kurta.

See the work

Browse our hand embroidered kurtas, trousers and kurta sets, or read more about Zauq.