Glossary

Backtack

Sewing backwards and forwards 2-3 stitches at the beginning and end of a seam, to prevent it from coming undone.

Basting Stitch

Long stitches done by hand or machine that temporarily hold fabric in place before sewing. They are removed once the final seam is in place.

Bias

Diagonal direction of fabric, which runs at a 45 degree angle from the fabric grainline.

Binding

Narrow strip of fabric, sometimes cut on the bias, that is often used as a clean finish on a raw edge.

Break Point

Where the notched collar folds over on itself to allow the lapel to lay down along the neckline.

Clipping Corners

The process of snipping the triangular piece of seam allowance off of the corner of a seam to prevent bulk in the corner when turned right side out.

Clipping Curves

The process of removing small triangular pieces of fabric to allow a seam to lay flat along a curve when turned right side out. Alternatively, small slits can also be made along a curve so it is allowed to spread apart when turned right side out to keep everything laying flat.

Dart

Folds or tucks sewn into fabric to take in ease and provide shape to a garment.

Gather

A technique that shortens a portion of fabric by pulling on a thread to form fullness.

Grainline

Direction of thread running parallel to selvege. Arrow on pattern labeled "Grainline" indicates which direction the piece should be orientated. Also known as "straight (of) grain" "warp direction". These threads typlically run the length of a garment, down the body.

Hem

The act of finishing the bottom of a garment so no raw edges are seen.

Interfacing

Textile used on the unseen or "wrong" side of fabrics to give more structure or stiffness to the fabric.

Marker

A large sheet of paper with all the necessary pattern pieces, used to assure cutting accuracy and limit fabric waste.

Mitered Corner

Fabric edges are stitched together at a 45 degree angle, usually found at the corner of a hem.

Muslin

An inexpensive, normally un-dyed fabric used to create pattern pieces, or to test out a garment before using the more expensive fashion fabric.

Notch

These can be marks, wedges or slits that show where pattern pieces should fit together.

Placket

An opening in the upper part of trousers, skirts, or sleeves.

Pleat

A double or multiple fold in a garment or other item made of cloth, held by stitching the top or side.

Pre-Wash

After a fabric is purchased, it can be pre-washed, so it will be pre-shrunk before constructing the garment. Typically, pre-washing, and drying, of the fabric is done in the same manner that the garments is going to be washed when completed.

Seam Finishing

Various techniques used to treat raw edges to keep them from fraying.

Seam Line

aka "stitch(ed) line, sewn line

Seam Ripper

A tool used for picking or ripping out sewing stitches.

Self

The main fabric in the garment.

Selvage

Machine-finished edges of fabric that typically runs a long the length of the cut yardage.

Serging

A method using an overlock machine that wraps threads over the raw edge of the fabric to finish the edge to prevent fraying.

Stay Stitch

This is a straight stitch sewn through one layer of fabric. It’s most often used around a curve to prevent distortion and stretching, as it stabilizes a piece of fabric before it is sewn.

Stitch-in-the-Ditch

A quilting term used to describe the method of stitching along existing seams in a patchwork piece or quilt top in order to quilt it together with the batting and backing.

Stitch Width

How much your stitch varies widthwise from a straight stitch. On a machine, 0 is a straight stitch, and any wider begins to create a zig zag stitch.

Top Stitch

The process of stitching on the exterior side of a project to finish seams or folds to keep them in place. Also known as Edge Stitching if it is done near a fold of fabric.

Warp

lengthwise set of yarns, parallel to selvage

Weft

Crosswise set of yarns, perpendicular to the selvage.

Wrong Side

The side of fabric that is not meant to be seen.

Zig Zag stitch

This is a machine stitch commonly used for decorative finshes, to create a stretchier seam, or to enclose the raw edges of fabric.