• Prerequisites: Part IV, Indian drafts: salwar, kali and Patiala and Indian drafts: churidar on the bias and kurta pyjama.
• Time: 30 minutes (pyjama hem) to 2 hours (Patiala mohri).
• Difficulty: easy to moderate.
• Tools: safety pin or nada threader, seam ripper, chalk, hooks and eyes or buttons, matching thread.

1. Turn inside out and put it on the wearer, or pin on the right side if easier. Mark the tight or loose part (often the calf or knee).
2. Churidars are cut on the bias: pin, then let the churidar hang for a day before sewing, because bias stretches.
3. Take in or let out the inseam only, tapering to nothing above and below the change.
4. Sew with a slightly longer stitch or a tiny zigzag, so the bias seam can stretch.
5. Try on; the foot must still pass the ankle opening.

1. Unpick the mohri band from the leg. Note how the pleats or gathers were arranged.
2. Shorten the leg at the bottom edge by the amount needed.
3. Re-pleat or re-gather to fit the band, spacing evenly.
4. Re-attach the band and press the pleats so they fall straight.

If the Patiala is pleated into the waist instead, shortening from the top changes the drape less; agree with the wearer.

• Nada to elastic: thread elastic through the casing, join the ends, close the hole. Good for children and older wearers.
• Both: elastic in the back half of the casing, nada through the whole: comfort with adjustment.
• Elastic gone slack: replace it; see Mending: zips, sliders, buttons and hooks.
• Bulky gathers: take in the side seams near the top to reduce cloth in the casing, tapering out.
• Side opening with hooks: for wearers who cannot manage a nada; see Part VI, Button plackets and side openings.

• Narrowing a salwar into straight pants: taper the leg (see Tapering or widening a leg); the kali may need removing.
• Kali salwar too full: take a little out of each kali seam, not just one.
• Sharara too long: shorten above the knee seam; hide the join under the gota or lace.
• Dhoti pants: the drape is the style; adjust the waist and leg cuffs rather than the folds.
• Children’s salwars: leave a deep casing allowance so the top can be let down later.
• Left-handed: threading the nada from either side works; mark the nada hole on the centre front.

• Decorated parts first: decide where the border, lace or embroidery must stay before choosing where to cut.
• Bias: churidar changes need hanging time.
• Matching sets: salwar and kurta may share a border; shorten so the border heights still balance.
• Men’s kurta pyjama: the pyjama length is set with the kurta on; the hem usually touches the top of the foot or sits slightly gathered for Aligarh styles.

1. Shorten embroidered salwars from the top, never cut a border.
2. Ask how much churi the wearer wants before shortening a churidar.
3. Hang bias churidars for a day before sewing changes.
4. Use a tiny zigzag on churidar inseams.
5. Put elastic at the back only for a flat front with a nada.
6. Reinforce the nada hole with a small square of interfacing.
7. Keep a long nada: about waist plus 20 in (50 cm), so it ties easily. Teacher to check.
8. Sew a small loop at the back of the casing to stop the nada pulling out.
9. Use the cut-off length to make a matching nada or latkans.
10. For children, buttonhole elastic inside the casing adjusts for growth.
11. What professionals do differently: they choose the cutting point by the decoration, not by convenience.

The churidar is too short after shortening

1. Add a matching ankle band.
2. Re-make the opening shorter to gain a little length.
3. Prevention: pin with the churi arranged, standing.

The churidar seam pops

1. Resew with a tiny zigzag or stretch stitch.
2. Let out slightly at the calf.
3. Prevention: allow for bias stretch; never sew a churidar with a short straight stitch.

The salwar casing is too bulky

1. Take in the side seams near the top.
2. Use a flatter nada or elastic.
3. Prevention: reduce fullness before making the casing.

The Patiala hangs unevenly after shortening

1. Re-space the pleats into the band.
2. Check both legs are the same length from the waist.
3. Prevention: note the pleat spacing before unpicking.

The foot will not pass the churidar ankle

1. Lengthen the ankle opening.
2. Let out the inseam just above the ankle.
3. Prevention: test with the wearer’s foot before closing.

The nada keeps pulling out

1. Stitch the nada to the casing at the centre back.
2. Knot a latkan at each end.
3. Prevention: make the nada long enough.

The sharara join shows above the knee

1. Cover with a band of gota or lace.
2. Move the join to sit exactly on the knee seam.
3. Prevention: plan the cut at the existing seam.

• Myth: a nada waist needs no fitting. Too much cloth in the casing is uncomfortable and bulky.
• Mistake: cutting through an embroidered mohri.
• Mistake: sewing churidar changes with a tight straight stitch.
• Mistake: forgetting to remake the nada hole before closing the casing.

1. Beginner: change a pyjama from nada to elastic-plus-nada.
2. Improver: shorten a salwar from the top, keeping the mohri.
3. Confident: shorten a churidar and remake the ankle opening with hooks.

As a hobby: refitting family salwars and pyjamas is a useful, everyday skill.

For earning: salwar and churidar changes are very common in Indian studios, especially before weddings and festivals.

For teaching: bring a salwar with a plain mohri and one with an embroidered mohri; ask learners where they would cut each.

• Press pleats and gathers after re-attaching the mohri.
• Wash new nadas once before threading; some shrink.

• Do you know where to shorten each Indian trouser?
• Can you shorten a churidar and remake the opening?
• Can you add elastic to a nada casing?
• Do you plan cuts around decoration?

Quiz

1. Where is an embroidered salwar shortened? Answer: from the top (casing).
2. Why hang a churidar before sewing changes? Answer: it is cut on the bias and stretches.
3. Where is a sharara shortened? Answer: above the knee seam.

• Nada (nara, izarband): the drawstring in a casing.
• Nefa: the casing at the top.
• Mohri: the ankle opening or band.
• Churi: the rings of cloth gathered at a churidar’s ankle.
• Kali: a shaped panel in some salwars and kurtas.

• Main source: general Indian tailoring practice, with D&D’s own trousers ebook chapters 4 and 50. D&D studio to confirm.
• Nada length and casing allowances are starting points. Teacher to check.
• Names vary by region and language; Kannada equivalents to confirm.