aaSewing a shalwar kameez at home is exciting but beginners often get discouraged when things don’t look quite right - every sewist makes mistakes but the key is knowing what to watch out for and how to fix it!

1.  Skipping proper measurements 

❌Guessing your size leads to poor fit

✅ Always measure bust, waist, hips, shoulder accurately and learn to TRUST the tape measure

2.  Cutting without grainline awareness

❌Fabric that isn’t cut properly to its grainline twists and warps after stitching 

✅ Align your pattern pieces with the grainline before cutting. Pattern pieces that are on fold are easier to align, but you must ensure the fabric is folded correctly,

Wrong shoulder fit 

❌ Too wide means droopy and too narrow means they are tight

✅ Match your shoulder width carefully on your pattern and trust the numbers on your tape measure - don’t be tempted to add or subtract.

3.  Armhole mistakes

❌ Armholes too deep means the fit will be baggy and too small will be u comfortable 

✅ Use a proper curve, and test with a toile (a practice version on cheaper fabric) the measurement for armhole is connected to the shoulder, so shoulder measurement must be accurate to ensure perfect armholes.

4.  Ignoring ease on bust, waist and hips 

❌ No ease will mean it’s literally skin measurements and most often it will be so tight you won’t even be able to get it on your body 

✅Add 2-3 inches for ease and comfort,

5.  Sleeves that don’t fit armhole 

❌Sleeves that are too small for the armhole

✅ Draft sleeves that fit the armhole correctly, use your tape measure in the standing position to measure around the curves to ensure they fit one another  

6.  Uneven or crooked necklines 

❌Neckline gapes, or pulls or looks uneven. Or the facing fabric is visible on the neckline 

✅ Stay stitch curved edges, use interfacing and under stitch the facing to avoid facing showing on the neckline. Our FREE NECKLINE course is a fab resource for 6 stunning necklines with patterns

7.  Neglecting seam finishes 

❌Raw edges on the inside, making it really unfinished on the inside and it’s a risk the outfit may fall apart 

✅ Use an overlocker or zig zag to secure the edges. Rushing through fitting 

❌ Sewing everything without testing is a big risk and may result in unpicking 

✅Always pin, test, and try on before final stitching 

8.  Choosing the wrong fabric 

❌Heavy fabrics for flowy styles or thin fabrics for structural looks 

✅Match fabrics to the look you want- stiff fabrics like organza will make your kameez stand up and flowy fabrics like cotton and chiffon will make your shalwar kameez drape better 

In the Shalwar Kameez course I teach you all about how to measure a female body, you learn about adding ease to your measurements and you will never get your shoulders and armholes wrong as you will learn the exact pattern cutting system that I have perfected over the years.