How to stitch saree falls

5 simple steps for an elegant drape, defter pleat, and long life for your precious sarees

Saree falls are essential to any saree and especially useful if it is a thin and light-weight saree like—georgettes, chiffons, and net sarees. Adding saree falls ensures beautiful fall to the fabric while adding pleats and wearing. A well stitched saree falls reinforces your delicate and expensive sarees and protects them from wear and tear and ensures long life.

Prepare the saree falls material

The fabric used to stitch saree falls is typically a cotton fabric roughly 3 meters long and 5 inches wide. Both the edges are sewn and available in different colors. Select the fabric that is matches your saree. Pre-wash the falls material and iron it before attaching it to your saree. This important step prevents the saree falls from shrinking and if the colors are not fast, you run the risk of spoiling your precious saree at first wash.

Measure and mark before stitching

Measure roughly 30 cms and add a mark on the saree. The fabric is stitched to the saree hem. The saree fall is attached in such a way that it covers the initial drape and pleats of the saree to ensures the saree pleats fall elegantly. It also reinforces the saree hem and prevents it from the saree entangling with the footwear or scraping the ground under the feet while walking.

Add pins to secure the saree falls before stitching

The saree fall is attached from the wrong side of the saree and remains invisible when seen from the right side of the fabric. After marking, add pins throughout the saree to secure both the falls and saree. This will help you to stitch properly. You don't have to attach the falls to the pallu.

Start stitching

After securing the falls with the saree using pins, start stitching and allow 1/4 inch of allowance at regular intervals on bottom side. After completing one side, do the same for the top side of the saree falls as well. You can adjust the falls material as you stitch using the 1/4 inch allowance as buffer and ensure the saree doesn't have any wrinkles.

Check for finishing

Do a proper check after sewing the saree falls and iron to improve finishing. The saree falls will serve an additional reinforcement providing shape and strength to the saree. The resulting pleats are much more pronounced and will stay in place. The fall itself will be stunning and graceful.

Check-out our Vibha's Fashion YouTube channel 'How-to' series to learn how to stitch saree falls to ensure long life for your sarees and to flaunt an elegant look while wearing.

Happy Sewing!