1. The pattern drifts off-count partway through.

Why: a thread missed or counted twice early in the row. The error grows as you go.

1. Count back to the last point that matches the chart and unpick from there.
2. If the shift is one square across a whole border, decide whether the design can absorb it (a slightly longer border). If not, unpick.
3. Re-tack a guide line every 10 counts before you start again.

Next time: mark the centre of cloth and chart, work outwards, and check every 10–15 stitches.

2. One half of a motif is wider than the other.

Why: the centre was miscounted, or the motif’s centre is a hole on the chart and a stitch on the cloth (or the other way round).

1. Count both halves from the centre column and find the wrong one.
2. Unpick the wrong half back to the centre.
3. Restitch it by counting from the centre outwards, square by square.

Next time: mark the centre column on the chart in colour and tack it on the cloth.

3. The corner doesn’t mirror where two borders meet.

Why: the corner was made up on the cloth instead of planned on paper.

1. Unpick back to where the two directions part.
2. Chart the whole corner on graph paper, mirrored along the 45° line (swap the counts).
3. If the borders still don’t fit, use a corner block motif to cover the join.

Next time: chart every corner first and stitch outwards from it. See Module 5, From buti to border to corner.

4. You lose your place on a big chart.

Why: too much chart in view, and nothing marking the row you are on.

1. Go back to the nearest 10-line and count from there.
2. Compare the cloth with the chart motif by motif to find where you are.
3. Tick off finished lines on a photocopy from now on.

Next time: work from an enlarged photocopy with a ruler or magnet strip under the current row.

5. Knots or thread tails show on the front.

Why: a knot was used, or a tail wasn’t woven under enough stitches to hold.

1. Snip the knot on the back, pull the thread end to the back, and weave it under 2.5–5 cm of stitches.
2. Pull a tail that pokes through back to the back with the needle tip and weave it in further.
3. Trim all tails close on the back once they are secure.

Next time: use the no-knot method every time (Module 4, Start, end and join a thread), and practise it on a scrap first.

6. The back of Gavanti or Murgi doesn’t match the front.

Why: the return pass missed the gaps, or the two passes had different tension.

1. Find the first point where the back goes wrong.
2. Unpick the return pass to there.
3. Rework it slowly, putting each stitch into exactly the holes used by pass 1, at the same tension.

Next time: work pass 1 and the return in two colours while learning, and check the back every 15–20 stitches.

7. Threads travel across the back between lines.

Why: the route wasn’t planned, so the thread jumped across bare cloth.

1. Snip the travelling thread in the middle.
2. Weave each cut end under nearby stitches on the back.
3. Restart the second line with a no-knot start.

Next time: pencil the route on the chart before stitching, and finish branches out and back as you go.

8. A join shows as a thick spot or a gap.

Why: the old and new threads overlapped too much, or neither covered the join.

1. Unpick the stitches either side of the join.
2. End the old thread on the back; start the new one a few stitches back, trapping its tail.
3. Restitch over the join with the new thread only.

Next time: join inside a line of the same colour, where a later pass will cover the join.

9. The fabric puckers or distorts.

Why: stitches pulled too tight, or work done without a hoop.

1. Ease the tight stitches with the needle tip from the back, a little at a time.
2. Dampen the piece, pin it flat and square on a towel-covered board, and let it dry (this is called blocking).
3. Press lightly from the back on a folded towel.

Next time: always use a hoop, and check from the side every few stitches: the cloth should stay flat, not dimpled.

10. Stitches are loose or loopy.

Why: tension too light, or the cloth was slack in the hoop.

1. Pull each loose stitch gently snug from the back, working along the line.
2. Re-tighten the hoop.
3. If a loop is caught on something, unpick and restitch that stitch.

Next time: pull each stitch until it lies flat on the cloth, no more.

11. The line is wavy or stitches look uneven.

Why: tension changed, the thread twisted, or stitches are different lengths.

1. Let the needle hang to untwist the thread.
2. Re-tension uneven stitches from the back.
3. Unpick any stitch of the wrong length and redo it.

Next time: keep the same stitch length and tension, and work in calm, unhurried sessions.

12. The needle splits the threads of the cloth, or holes grow bigger.

Why: a sharp needle, or a needle too thick for the cloth.

1. Change to a blunt tapestry needle of the right size (24 for 14-count Aida, finer for fine cloth).
2. Find each hole by feel before pushing through.
3. Close an enlarged hole by gently nudging the cloth threads back with the needle tip.

Next time: match the needle to the cloth before you start.

13. The thread twists, knots or tangles as you stitch.

Why: every stitch turns the needle a little, twisting the thread. Long threads twist most.

1. Let the needle hang free until the thread untwists.
2. Ease a small knot open with the needle tip before pulling; never yank it tight.
3. Cut and re-start if a knot won’t come out.

Next time: use 40–50 cm lengths, and give the needle a slight turn the other way every few stitches.

14. The thread frays or goes fluffy.

Why: a long thread rubbed through the cloth many times, or a needle eye too small.

1. End the thread and start a fresh one.
2. Use a needle with a slightly larger eye.
3. Thread the end you cut from the skein, not the other end.

Next time: shorter threads, and move the needle along the thread now and then so it doesn’t wear one spot.

15. The line looks thin in places, or strands lie unevenly.

Why: a strand has slipped, or the strands twisted round each other.

1. Check you have the right number of strands all the way along.
2. Smooth the strands with a laying tool (or a large needle) as each stitch tightens.
3. Redo any stitch that is visibly thinner.

Next time: separate the strands one at a time and put them back together before threading.

16. The net threads won’t come out.

Why: the net was tacked too tightly or stitched through too densely, or Aida was used as if it were removable.

1. Dampen the area lightly to loosen the net.
2. Cut the net close to the stitching all round, then pull the threads out one at a time with tweezers, from the outside inwards.
3. Pull in the direction of the net thread, gently, never across the stitches.

Next time: use proper waste canvas or loose cotton net, tack it only round the edges, and never use Aida as a removable guide.

17. Stitches look loose after the net is removed.

Why: stitching tension was set against the net, which held the stitches up.

1. Ease each loose stitch snug from the back, gently.
2. Dampen and press the area flat from the back on a towel.
3. If very loose, restitch that section on the garment cloth alone.

Next time: stitch slightly firmer through net than on Aida, and test on a scrap of the same garment cloth.

18. The design sits crooked on the garment.

Why: the net wasn’t lined up with the grain of the garment cloth.

1. If the net is still on, unpick the first rows, re-tack the net straight and restart.
2. If finished, a small slope can sometimes be hidden by the garment’s seam or border; a big one has to be unpicked.
3. Check the grain on both layers before you tack.

Next time: tack a straight guide line along the garment’s grain first, then line the net up with it.

19. Large motifs look flat or lifeless.

Why: only one stitch was used, usually Gavanti alone.

1. Fill part of the motif with Neyge for solid, woven areas.
2. Add small Menthe accents for texture.
3. Use a second colour for an inner outline.

Next time: plan each large motif with the four stitches in mind: Gavanti or Murgi for lines, Neyge for fill, Menthe for texture (Project 3).

20. The design looks crowded, or colours don’t stand out.

Why: too many motifs, too many colours used equally, or not enough bare ground left.

1. Leave out some small fillers.
2. Choose one main colour and use the others only as highlights.
3. Add a frame line in the brightest colour to give the eye an edge.

Next time: plan at full size and look at it from across the room; on a dark ground, leave breathing space.

21. Colours bleed or fade after washing.

Why: thread or cloth that isn’t colourfast, especially dark grounds that weren’t pre-washed.

1. Rinse at once in plenty of cold water, changing it until it runs clear. Don’t leave the piece to soak or lie wet in a heap.
2. Dry it flat, face down, on a white towel, quickly and in the shade.
3. For a stubborn stain on a precious piece, ask a professional cleaner before trying anything stronger.

Next time: use good-quality mercerised cotton, pre-wash the cloth, and test cloth and thread together on a scrap. See Module 7, Caring for Kasuti.

22. The piece shrinks or distorts after washing.

Why: the cloth wasn’t pre-washed, was washed hot, or was wrung and dried hanging.

1. While damp, ease it back into shape and pin it square on a towel-covered board to dry (blocking).
2. Press from the back on a towel.
3. If the cloth has shrunk round the stitching, press gently with steam from the back to relax it.

Next time: pre-wash cotton and handloom before stitching, wash cool, never wring, dry flat.

23. Your eyes tire quickly, or you lose count on fine cloth.

Why: poor light, fine cloth without magnification, or long unbroken sessions.

1. Work under a daylight-type lamp, placed to the side.
2. Use a magnifier for anything finer than 14-count.
3. Rest for 5 minutes every 25–30 minutes and look at something far away.

Next time: match the fineness of the cloth to your light and your stage of practice; dark and fine cloth only in good daylight.

24. Your neck, back or hands ache.

Why: bending over the work, gripping the needle hard, or sitting too long.

1. Raise the work instead of lowering your head: use a stand or a cushion on your lap.
2. Relax your grip; the needle needs guiding, not squeezing.
3. Stand up, stretch your neck and shoulders, and open and close your hands every half hour.

Next time: sit in a chair with back support, feet flat, with the light and the work at a comfortable height.

• Keep a problem diary. Write down each problem and what fixed it. You will see your own patterns.
• Make a “mistakes sampler”: stitch a puckered line, a loose line and a mismatched back on purpose. You’ll recognise them instantly afterwards.
• Fix early, fix small. Most big problems are small ones left alone.
• Don’t fix on the return pass. A wrong pass 1 stitch must be fixed in pass 1.
• For teachers: ask learners to show you the back first. It tells you which problem they have.
• For teachers: collect learners’ problem pieces (with permission) to use as teaching samples.

• Do you turn your work over every 15–20 stitches?
• Do you count against the chart every 10–15 stitches?
• Can you unpick safely, snipping on the back and pulling out short pieces?
• Do you know what blocking is and when to use it?
• Do you test colours on a scrap before working on a garment?