This step is optional but will help make a long-lasting garment. You can also wash the fabric thereafter in plain water or with detergent, if you like.
If you’re making a slit kurta, it will have two slits on either side. If you’re making an anarkali-style top, make sure the amount of fabric that goes below the waist is enough for the wearer to walk and take strides freely. Otherwise, the dress may restrict the wearer from walking comfortably. An easy way to assess the flare is by stretching the tape far enough from one knee to the other. If it is tight, or if you prefer only one slit as opposed to the side slits, you can make a slit at the front centre or the back and make it look like a pattern.
You can skip this step if it’s a sleeveless kurta.
If the person you are making the kurta for is a child, the waist measurement will be enough. While cutting, or stitching, you can maintain a little curve at the sides for aesthetic purposes.
Make sure the fabric is smooth and uncreased as you cut, and make sure there is nothing underneath that you will accidentally cut along with the intended piece.
Keep each fabric around the neck, too. The neck opening tends to end up bigger than you plan, so the extra fabric will help account for that. If the neck size was 20cm, cut about 17cm of the fabric. You can keep extra fabric (between 4 to 5 inches) at the sides, too. It’ll help you alter the dress if it is too tight and allow for easier stitching. You will just fold and sew the sides as needed later on. After you’re done, if it is loose, you’ll make stitches inside the folded stitch. If it gets too tight in the future, this inside stitch can always be removed. You can practice cutting with the exact measurements on a paper first. Take a newspaper, mark the measurements on it and cut out the pieces; try on the paper kurta to be certain of the size before you cut the actual fabric.
The neck pattern can be drawn and cut however you want (a round, oval, boat, v cut, deep, high neck, etc). Don’t make a very big hole for the neck, as there isn’t much you can do if you you cut too much off. Or you may have to add layer/s of borders or other fabric to make it look like a desired neck design. Sew buttons on them if you desire a slit there. Cut these layers just as the shape of the neck. If the neck is round, cut rounded fabrics for the neck to retain the shape once it is done.
For the arm to move freely, leave extra fabric at the armpit as you cut the arm. After you cut near the armpit, extra fabric points out (connecting the chest area on the sides). Take care as you cut at the sides near the chest. The end of the armpit and the beginning of the chest area should look like a stretched out ‘A’ shape. This ‘A’ helps when it comes to stitching the sleeve, and it leaves room for hand movement. (This ‘A’ is not necessary for cap sleeves or if you are going for a sleeveless). If you unfolded the fabric, fold it back to how it was before you cut the sleeve.
Make sure the fabric for the sleeves is as broad as the armhole made on the kurta, before you cut the sleeve.
Keep the arms measurement in keeping with the arm size. The lengths of the sleeves can be mid-arm, full sleeve, cap sleeve, etc.
You can use a separate piece below the waist too, if it is an anarkali. A separate layer also allows you to make gathers or pleats around the waist.
The strip should be folded on both sides to prevent fraying, the open end of the main dress should be placed in between the folds, and then they should be all stitched together. This is mostly done around the neck area to give a clean finish and appearance. The strip around the neck is cut in keeping with the shape of the neckline. It goes around and covers the entire neckline from front to back.
Georgette, satin, cotton and silk like fabrics can be folded. Some thick suede and velvet like fabrics get too thick if they are folded twice and stitched.
You can skip ironing the folds if you can do without it. Make folds of about 5mm each. With these folds in place, you shouldn’t see any loose ends on the fabric.
You can cover the zipper completely from showing, by holding the zipper further inside while stitching it to the dress. Alternatively, you can buy a zipper that closes and hides itself when zipped. Choose the colour of the zipper to match the dress. If the zipper is extra long, cut the zipper from the top. Be careful after cutting, not to pull the zip up and have it come out, since you’ve removed the area that blocks it from coming off. After cutting the zipper, you will need to make a stopper at the tip of it to prevent the zipper from coming off. Either make a couple of stitches at the tips of the zipper, individually (10-15 stitches), or make a fold at the tip of the zipper and stitch it firmly, so the zipper doesn’t come off.
Thread a needle or machine and sew the zipper at the tip and both the holes. Make sure that you are holding the hook on the right side of the right slit.
Check before starting where this loop will go for the hook.
The slit gets bigger after the stitching. If it does get bigger and the button doesn’t stay in place when buttoned, stitch it a little holding both the sides of the slit together. If it is too small, make a very small cut further and cover the fresh cut with stitches.
Since elastics are stretched, you’ll need to secure them with a tight stitch on both the open ends.
If you are hand sewing, make smaller stitches, all along the seams. If the stitches are farther away (more than 5mm), it may not look very presentable. You can use a thimble to prevent needle pokes. Stitch the other shoulder in the same way. If the stitch doesn’t look right, use a seam ripper or a scissor and remove the stitches carefully and stitch again. Don’t tug or pull the thread out forcefully, as it may tear the fabric.
Hold the other sleeve similarly, alongside its shoulder, and stitch them together. Make sure you are stitching on the inside and not on the outside. Another option to avoid folding both the sides leading to a thick fold inside is to fold just one overlapping fabric (say the sleeve) and placing the other between its fold. Just fold any one of the two portions that you will be stitching together and place the other unfolded side in it and stitch. Complete the sleeve. You can make broader folds at the hem of the sleeve for a different appearance if you like. Sew the remaining side (the third inner side) of the sleeve together.
If you are likely to make distorted stitches, make proper shapes and lines on the fabric with a chalk and stitch exactly on them. If you like, you can simply stitch the entire side without making double folds. Just sew holding both the sides together. Once that is done, make another stitch by folding the ends. This way, you don’t have to worry about messing the main stitch that defines the shape of the dress. Or you can use an overlock stitch on it later.
Carefully push the extra fabric near the corners inside the folds for a finished look. You can cut extra frayed bits at the corners if it has frayed a lot.
An anarkali can be made with a single fabric from top to bottom or in two, with an added fabric at the waist for the lower half. Make sure there is ample fabric below the waist. If not, you can cut a separate pair for under the waist in a flared shape. Stitch them onto the waist. If the flared section is cut to fit around the waist, you may not have to worry about the gathers at the waist. If the flare begins at the waist itself, make gathers or pleats (evenly distributed) and sew along. To make sure that the gathers are evenly distributed, just place the fabric near the waist, make folds, and see how the fabric can be distributed without making it bulky on one side.
You can tighten the sleeves the same way.
If the neck is tight, you can cut it broader and do piping on the edge. To cover any stitch marks, you can either add ribbon, lace, or sequins/beads as you like.
If you are glueing on any decorations, you will need to keep a newspaper below the layer of the fabric so the glue doesn’t seep through and stick the fabric together. Wait atleast half a day for the glue to dry before washing. It is preferred you allow it to stay for a day so it dries completely.
You can add small beads or tassels to the end of the tie-up too.
