Sewing Terms

Front 1

Acetate

Back 1

a shiny fabric that is not very strong, dries quickly and rarely shrinks. Can be melted with nail polish remover.

Front 2

a-line

Back 2

skirt term which describes a garment smaller at the waist than the hem, flaring out in the shape of an A

Front 3

alter/alternation

Back 3

making changes to a pattern to provide a better fit or to a garment after it is made

Front 4

armscye

Back 4

armhole; opening for a sleeve

Front 5

awl

Back 5

tool that looks like ice pick used to "poke" holes in fabric for creating handmade eyelets

Front 6

babyhem

Back 6

hem that is turned up a very small amount, about 1/8

Front 7

babydoll length

Back 7

length which hits right about the hip

Front 8

backstitch

Back 8

used at the beginning and end of a machine sewn seam to anchor the seam in place

Front 9

baste/basting

Back 9

temporary stitching used to hold a sewing project in place

Front 10

bell sleeve

Back 10

sleeve that is narrow at the shoulder which flares outward like a bell at the wrist. It is not cuffed.

Front 11

bias

Back 11

runs diagonally to the straight grain of the fabric (45 degrees from the straight grain). This is the stretchiest part on the fabric.

Front 12

bias tape

Back 12

strips of fabric cut on the bias

Front 13

bishop's sleeve

Back 13

similar to the bell sleeve with the exception that it does have a cuff or band at the wrist

Front 14

blind stitch

Back 14

sewing stitch that is not meant to be seen on the right side of the fabric, usually accomplished by picking up one thread of the fabric at a time rather than going through the full fabric to make a stitch

Front 15

bodice

Back 15

refers to the part of a garment or pattern that goes from shoulder to waist

Front 16

bodkin

Back 16

a tool used to insert elastic, cording, etc. through a casting. Handy tool to use instead of a safety pin.

Front 17

bond/bonding

Back 17

joining two pieces of fabric together with a bonding agent (wonder under, for example) or a fabric glue. Usually applied with the heat of an iron.

Front 18

bustline

Back 18

measurement across the back and around the bust fullness

Front 19

capped sleeve

Back 19

a short sleeve that doesn't extend beyond your underarm

Front 20

casing

Back 20

fabric envelope of sorts for en "casing" elastic, a drawstring, or similar material, usually along a waistline, cuff, hem.

Front 21

chevron

Back 21

v-shaped stripes

Front 22

clip

Back 22

a cut in fabric to allow ease on curves or corners

Front 23

dart

Back 23

a V shaped, tapered adjustment (usually a fold on the inside of the piece) to a pattern to allow for more fullness in the bust area or less fullness in other areas (waist)

Front 24

dolman sleeve

Back 24

similar to kimono sleeves except that dolman sleeves tend to be longer and not quite as loose as the kimono sleeve

Front 25

double breasted

Back 25

front closing that overlaps enough to allow two rows of buttons

Front 26

drape

Back 26

hang of fabric on the body or dress form

Front 27

drop waist

Back 27

waistline designed to fall below the normal waist, making for a long bodice and shorter skirt of a dress

Front 28

ease

Back 28

a way of sewing a length of fabric into a bit of a smaller space without resulting in gathers or puckers

Front 29

empire waist

Back 29

a "waistline" that is above the regular waistline on the body

Front 30

epaulette

Back 30

a decoration on the shoulder of a dress, blouse, or jacket. Seen often in military clothing or royal clothing.

Front 31

facing

Back 31

fabric sewn on the raw edge of a garment piece that is turned under and serves as a clean finish for the edge as well

Front 32

feed dog

Back 32

the "teeth" under the plate on the sewing machine that move fabric as it is sewn

Front 33

finish

Back 33

turn under 1/4 and stitch, or other method of finishing the edge so it doesn't ravel or cause a bulky problem

Front 34

fold line

Back 34

many pattern pieces are placed on the fold of a piece of fabric. this is the actual fold of the fabric off the bolt or a fold of your own creation; the goal is to have a pattern piece that is cut out without center seam

Front 35

gore

Back 35

tapered section of a garment; wider at the lower edge

Front 36

grain

Back 36

direction of the fabric that runs parallel to the selvage (arrow)

Front 37

grommet

Back 37

an eyelet usually covered with vinyl or some other material. used in lacing

Front 38

gusset

Back 38

a fabric piece inserted at the underarm to give ease in the sleeve area

Front 39

hem

Back 39

fabric that is turned up on the lower edge of a garment or sleeve to provide a finished edge

Front 40

in seam

Back 40

seam inside the leg of pants

Front 41

facing

Back 41

fabric sewn on the raw edge of a garment piece that is turned under and serves as a clean finish for the edge as well

Front 42

feed dog

Back 42

the "teeth" under the plate on the sewing machine that move fabric as it is sewn

Front 43

finish

Back 43

turn under 1/4 and stitch, or other method of finishing the edge so it doesn't ravel or cause a bulky problem

Front 44

fold line

Back 44

many pattern pieces are placed on the fold of a piece of fabric. this is the actual fold of the fabric off the bolt or a fold of your own creation; the goal is to have a pattern piece that is cut out without center seam

Front 45

gore

Back 45

tapered section of a garment; wider at the lower edge

Front 46

grain

Back 46

direction of the fabric that runs parallel to the selvage (arrow)

Front 47

grommet

Back 47

an eyelet usually covered with vinyl or some other material. used in lacing

Front 48

gusset

Back 48

a fabric piece inserted at the underarm to give ease in the sleeve area

Front 49

hem

Back 49

fabric that is turned up on the lower edge of a garment or sleeve to provide a finished edge

Front 50

in seam

Back 50

seam inside the leg of pants

Front 51

facing

Back 51

fabric sewn on the raw edge of a garment piece that is turned under and serves as a clean finish for the edge as well

Front 52

feed dog

Back 52

the "teeth" under the plate on the sewing machine that move fabric as it is sewn

Front 53

finish

Back 53

turn under 1/4 and stitch, or other method of finishing the edge so it doesn't ravel or cause a bulky problem

Front 54

fold line

Back 54

many pattern pieces are placed on the fold of a piece of fabric. this is the actual fold of the fabric off the bolt or a fold of your own creation; the goal is to have a pattern piece that is cut out without center seam

Front 55

gore

Back 55

tapered section of a garment; wider at the lower edge

Front 56

grain

Back 56

direction of the fabric that runs parallel to the selvage (arrow)

Front 57

grommet

Back 57

an eyelet usually covered with vinyl or some other material. used in lacing

Front 58

gusset

Back 58

a fabric piece inserted at the underarm to give ease in the sleeve area

Front 59

hem

Back 59

fabric that is turned up on the lower edge of a garment or sleeve to provide a finished edge

Front 60

in seam

Back 60

seam inside the leg of pants

Front 61

interfacing

Back 61

a material used between layers of fabric to provide stabilization and form

Front 62

notch

Back 62

usually the notch is shown on a pattern with a dark diamond. they are commonly cut outward and should be matched on seams when joining for sewing

Front 63

pencil skirt

Back 63

a straight lined skirt from waist to hem. no fullness at hem

Front 64

notion

Back 64

a term used for any item used for sewing other than the fabric and the machine

Front 65

peter pan collar

Back 65

a rounded flat collar in one piece that lies flate against the neckline

Front 66

pivot

Back 66

to leave the needle in fabric, raise the professor foot and turn the fabric at a 45 degree angle. then lower the presser foot and start sewing. used to sew square seams

Front 67

pleat

Back 67

a flof in fabric that is either inverted or folded outward, is not sewn except on the top edge.

Front 68

presser foot

Back 68

part of the sewing machine that holds the fabric in place as it is being sewn and fed through by the feed dogs

Front 69

seam

Back 69

the result when two pieces of fabrics are sewn together along a line

Front 70

seam allowance

Back 70

the fabric between the edge of the fabric and the line of stitching, about 5/8 for most patterns

Front 71

seam ripper

Back 71

it is a tool with a small hook on one end that can slip under a stitch and get close enough to it to cut the stitch

Front 72

selvage

Back 72

often marked with information from the manufacturer, this edge of the fabric which generally does not fray

Front 73

single breasted

Back 73

center front closing with enough flap to allow one row of buttons

Front 74

stay stitch

Back 74

a line of stitching just inside the intended permanent stitching line on curved edges that stabilizes and keeps the curve from distorting

Front 75

straight stitch

Back 75

stitching made with single stitches moving in a line. this is the regular stitch that most sewing machines make and may or may not require a special foot presser

Front 76

taper

Back 76

cutting or stitching at a slight diagonal, generally to make gradually smaller

Front 77

top stitch

Back 77

a sometimes decorative, sometimes functional stitch that is usually 1/4 from the edge of a seam. it is visible because it is done on the top of the item

Front 78

yoke

Back 78

usually found on oxford shirts or western wear, this is a small panel of fabric that comes from the shoulders and down several inche, often decorative. it may be a part of the front as well, coming from the shoulders tot he chest/pocket level on the shirt.

Front 79

zig zag

Back 79

a stitch that goes on way zig and then another zag and provides a nice finish to a seam to prevent raveling, can be a decorative addition to any garment, and can allow for give with knits.