These are some of the words that you will come across throughout your sewing adventures. We will reiterate the meanings of many of these words when we come to them, in your lessons.
ALTERATION: Any change made to a garment or pattern.
ARROWHEAD: A decorative triangle used to reinforce the ends of darts, pleats, or pockets.
BACKIG: Thin paper or fabric used as reinforcement on wrong side of fabric.
BACKSTITCH: Several stitches going over what you have just sewn, to reinforce the end of the seam.
BAR TACK: A row of zigzag stitches used to reinforce. These are usually used at pocket corners, at the bottom of a zipper opening, at the end of buttonholes, etc.
BASIC PATTERN: A plain form-fitting pattern used for checking proper fit and making adjustments. Usually made from muslin or other pre-shrunk firmly-woven cotton fabric. Adjustment are transferred to paper patterns before cutting fabric.
BASTE: To sew temporarily with long stitches.
BATTING: Layers or sheets of fibrous material (polyester, cotton or wool) used to line quilting or for stuffing.
BELTING: A stiff banding used at the waistline of a skirt or dress, or a stiffening for a fabric belt. Sold by the yeard in variou widths.
BIAS: A diagonal line formed when the lengthwie grain is folded parallel to the crosswise grain. True bias is a 45* angle.
BIAS TAPE: A single or double fold of fabric,cut on the bias and often from self-material, encasing a curved or straight raw edge as a finish or trimming. Packaged binding can be purchased in various widths and colors.
BODKIN: A blunt needle used for threading or pulling ribbon, elastic, or tape through narrow tubing or casing.
BONING: Flexible strips of plastic, metal, or bone used to stiffen seams or edges. Used in strapless tops, cunnerbunds, and foundation garmets.
CARRIER: A thread or fabric loop used as a support for a belt or tie.
CASING: A hem, facing, or binding used to hold a drawstring, boning, or elastic.
CLEAN FINISH: To turn a raw edge under 1/4 and stitch. Used on seam allowances, facings, and some hem edges.
CLIP: To make a short cut or snip in the seam allowance, using onl the points of the sccissors. Also used on curves and corners to allow the material to lie flat.
COLORFAST: The dye in the fabric will not run or "bleed" during washing or drcleaning.
CORDING: A strip of narrow cord, usually encased in bias tape and inserted in a seam for a decorative effect. Used as a trim on tailored clothing, bedspreads, and slip covers.
CREASE: A line made by folding and pressing material ith fingers or an iron.
CROSS-DYEING: The process of dyeing a combined fabric whose warp (crosswise) and eft (legthwise) yarns are of different fibers. The yarns take dye differently. The dyes may give different colors to the fibers or tey may color only one of te fibers.
DART: A stitched tuck, tapered at one or both ends, made to fit fabric to the curved areas of the figure.
DRAPE: Fullness anding in soft folds made by gathers, tucks, or pleats.
EASE: To fit togeter seams of unequal lengts so tat te excess fabric in one does not pleat or buckle. Used when fitting sleevess to armholes and in other place such as shoulder seams. Allows for comfort and ease of movement.
EDGESTITCH: To make a line of stitching close to any folded edge.
EDGING: An abrasive powder used in dresmaking to clean needles and pins to keep them free from rust. Usuall in an emery bag attached to a princushion.
ENCLOSED SEAMS: Seams covered by two layers of fabric, such as inside a collar.
EYELET: A small metal ring or round buttonhole used for decoration, lacing, or as an opening in which to insert the prong of a buckle. Can be machine- or hand-worked.
FACE: To finish an edge by turning or by applying a fitted piece or lining of the same or a different fabric. Also, the right side of a fabric.
FACING: Fabric applied to a garment edge. Used on jacket fronts, necklines, and sleeveless armholes. Also a lining for collars and cuffs.
FLAP: A shaped piece that hangs loose and is attached by only one edge (i.e., the flap of a pocket).
FLY: A piece of fabric used either a an overlap or an underlap to conceal the opening of a garment, as in men's trousers.
FUSIBLE: An iron-on woven or non-woven fabric or interfacing; also a web-like bonding agent used to fuse two fabrics together. Available a mending patches and appliques.
GATHER: To control fullnes by drawing up fabric along one or two rows of stitches. Can be done by hand or with a long machine stitch.
GORE: A shaped, tapered section of a skirt, dress, or coat. Widest at the lower edge.
GRADING/LAYERING: Trimming the seam allowances of facing, interfacing, and garment in varying widths, to eliminate bulk. Usually used on inside seams of collars, cuffs, etc.
GRAIN: The direction of the yarns in a piece of fabric. Lenghthwise grain: the threads running parallel to the selvage. Crosswise grain: the threads running across the fabric from selvage to selvage. Grainlines should cross each other at right angles.
GUSSET: A shaped piece of fabric, inserted in a garment to give better fit and appearance, as in an underarm seam.
HAND: The feel of a fabric when touched.
HAND FINISHING: The fininshing touches done by hand, (i.e., hemming, tacking, etc.)
HAND-PICKED: A hand-stitched finish outlining a faced edge. A tailoring detail.
HEM EDGE: The edge of te hem allowance. Can be turned under for finishing, or seam binding can be added.
HEMLINE: The line on which a hem is folded back.
INSERTION: A narrow band of lace or embroidery with straight edges, set into fabric for decoration.
INSET: A piece of fabric or trimming inserted for fit or decoration.
INTERFACING: The material used between the garment and the facing to give added shape and/or weight, and to prevent stretching. Used in collars, cuffs, lapels, front facings, etc. Interfacing fabrics come both woven and non-woven, in variou weights and stiffnesses to suit particular purposes and fabrics.
INTERLINING: A layer of fabric placed between the lining and the garment for extra warmth.
LAP: To fold one section over another. Alo, the part of a garment that extends over or under another. See OVERLAP and UNDERLAP.
LAPEL: A part of a coat or jacke that turns back or folds over at the front.
LAYERING: Trimming the seam allowances of facing, interfacing, and garment in varying widths, to eliminate bulk. Usually used on inside seams of collars, cuffs, etc.
LAYOUT: Pattern pieces arranged on fabric ready for cutting. The pattern guide how layouts varying according to pattern size, and width and nap of fabric.
LINING: A fabric which covers the inside surface of a garment or of a section of a garment. Usually, assembled separately and then sewn into the garment.
MITER: To match diagonally-cut end, as in sewing bias strips together. Also, the diagonal seam of the square corner of a straight band.
NAP: The surface fibers that lie in one direction on some fabrics. Gives fabric a soft feel.
NOTCH: A small V-shaped mark made in fabric. Also, a mark on the seam edges of pattern pieces used to guide construction.
NOTIONS: Dressmaking supplies required to make a garment: matching thread, binding, tape, zipper, etc.
OVERCAST: To finish with a slanting stitch the raw edges of a fabric that ravels easily.
OVERLAP: A part of a garment which laps or extends over another part.
OVERLOCK: A machine that intertwines two to five threads by means of loopers on the underside of the machine. It trims, sews, and overcasts a seam in one operation.
PIECING: Joining together narrow widths of fabric to make the size or shape required.
PILE: A weave uch as plush or fake fur, having nearly upright surface threads.
PIN-BASTING: Pinning seams or darts before stitching. Pins are set at right angles to the seam for easy removal. When used for fitting purposes, pins are placed along seam line. Takes the place of hand basting.
PINK: To finish raw edge by trimming with pinking shears. A good seam finish for fabrics that do not ravel a lot.
PIPING: A narrow bias fold of material, somethimes corded, which is used to decorate seams or edges.
PIVOT: To turn a corner in machine sewing by leaving the needle in the fabric and lifting the presser foot to turn the fabric.
PLACKET: An opening in a garment left to make dressing and undressing possible. Can be fatened with buttons, snaps, or a zipper.
PLEAT: A fold of fabric, either stitched or unstitched, to give fullness and decorative interest to a garment.
PRE-SHRUNK: To prevent possible shrinkage in the finished garment by shrinking the fabric before the garment is made.
QUILTING: Hand or machine stitching which form a design through several thicknesses of material. Holds filling material in place.
RAVEL: To pull apart or shred easily along the cut edge of fabric. Also, to unweave, eparate or undo the texture of a piece of fabric, forming a fringe on the edge.
RIP: To undo a tear a row of stitches by hand or with a seam ripper or thread clip. Also, to tear fabric in order to obtain a straight edge running along the grain.
ROLLED HEM: A narrow hem rolled between thumb and forefinger, and secured with slip-stitches. Used as a fine hand finish for lightweight sheer fabrics.
RUFFLE: A strip of fabric pleated or gathered and used as trimming.
SAG: The degree to which a garment stretches after hanging. Varies with the weight and stretchability of a fabric.
SCALLOP: A series of half-circle curves used to finish an edge.
SEAM: The line formed by sewing together fabric edges or parts of a garment.
SEAM ALLOWANCE: The extra fabric allowed on the pattern beyond the seam line, usually 5/8".
SEAM BINDING: A commercial ribbon-like strip used for finishing hems, the edges of facings, and so on. It is usually placed on straight edges, whereas bias binding can be used to finish either curved or straight edges (see BIAS BINDING).
SELVAGE: The narrow, closely-woven border appearing on the lengthwise edges of woven fabrics.
SERGER: A machine that intertwines two to five threads by means of loopers on the underide of the machine. It trims, sews, and overcasts a seam in one operation.
SHANK: The link between button and garment. Some decorative buttons have their own shank. Other buttons (with 2 or 4 holes) should be sewn to a garment with a thread shank. Prevents puckering of fabric under button when garment is fastened.
SHIRRING: Gathering which is done along three or more rows of stitching. Usually used for decorative purposes.
SIZING: The finishing process applied to fabrics and yarns to give stiffness and strength, and improve appearance. Sometimes permanent, but sometimes washes out.
SLASH: A short snip made in fabric. Also, a longer cut in the fabric area, such as a cut in a sleeve to accommodate a placket.
SMOCKING: Embroidery stitching which hold fullness. Often used on children's clothing, blouses, and decorative pillows.
SNIP: To cut with one short stroke, using tips or points of scissors.
STAYS: Flexible strips of plastic, metal, or bone used to stiffen seams or edges. Used in strapless tops, cummerbunds, and foundation garments. STAYS are short strips of boning and can be made of plastic or metal and used in collar points.
STAYSTITCH: The machine stitching made in seam allowances about 1/2" inside the cut edge to prevent bias and curved edges from stretching.
STEAMING: To expose cloth to heat and moisture.
STILETTO (awl): A pointed tool used in eyelet work to punch holes in cloth.
STRAIGHT OF GOODS: A pattern term which usually refers to the lengthwise grain of fabric.
SWIRL: To curve a bias or crosswise piece of material with an iron. Ued to shape bias binding to the contour of the piece to be bound.
TACK: To fasten together two cloth surfaces with small stitches.
TAILOR'S TACKS: Temporary stitches used to mark construction details.
TENSION: The relationship of the needle thread to the bobbin thread on the sewing machine -- the amount of pull on each. Top and bottom tension should be equal.
THREAD TRACING: A basting stitch used to transfer pattern markings from the wrong side of the fabric to the right side.
TRACE/MARK: To transfer pattern marks to fabric with chalk or tracing wheel and carbon paper.
TRIM: To cut away excess fabric.
TRIMMING: An ornamentation, such as rickrack, ribbon, lace, and o on.
TUCK: A fold a fabric stitched in place.
UNDERLAP: A part of a garment which laps or extends under another part.
UNDERLINING: A layer of fabric sewn to underside of garment during construction to give shape and body to the garment. Each piece of underlining is sewn in with garment seam.
VELCRO: A nylon fastener that comes in two parts, either in strips, or circles, that are pressed together to close and peeled apart to open.
VENT: A finished opening. Used to give ease in wearing, a in the botton of a skirt.
WEIGHT: A small metal disc sewn in the hem of a jacket, coat, etc., to hold it down in position and help it to hang straight. Used, also, in hems of draperies.
WELT: A strip of fabric which is applied to strengthen a slash or seam, or used for decorative trimming, as on a pocket.
WHIP: To sew edges together with a light overhand stitch.
