Terminologies Used In Sewing Process

Applique

Sewing a piece of fabric atop another after folding under a small bit of the fabric to create a clean edge. When done by machine, many use a satin stitch (tight zigzag). By hand, blind stitching is often used.

Backstitch

Used at the beginning and end of a machine sewn seam to anchor the seam in place; it involves a couple of extra stitches back and forth.

Bar tack

A group of closely sewn stitches (back and forth from side to side a zigzag)that is used to tack a belt loop or similar item in place. This is not a tasting stitch and should be repeated several times on the machine to make a very short run of satin stitching.

Bias

Runs diagonally to the straight grain of the fabric. This is the stretches part on the fabric.

Blind Hem Stitch

Completing a hand stitch or machine stitch. Many sewing machines come with blind hem attachment and the manual is the best guide for how to use it and produce virtually invisible hems.

Bobbin

The piece of your sewing machine that holds the bottom threads (the bobbin thread) and is placed in the bobbin case. It generally is under the area the needle penetrates and it loops with the needle thread to form a locked stitch.

Ease

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

Edge stitch

A stitch done a scant 1/8” from the folded or seamed edge.

Facing

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

Feed dog

The “teeth” under the plate on the sewing machine that move fabric as it is sewn.

Finish (an edge)

The edge of a fabric which is processed by a sewing machine.

Flat felled seam

This is often used for reinforcing seams on pajamas or to reduce bulk in a seam.

Fold line

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 be goal is to have a pattern piece that is cut out without a center seam.

Gather

Gathering allows for making a long piece of fabric to fit with a shorter piece of fabric and also is a method of easing a seam to allow insertion of sleeves and other rounded pattern pieces. When making an apron there is a waistband that is the size of the person’s waist, plus some extra for tying the apron around the body. The apron itself usually is gathered, fluffy, almost pleated and has more fabric that flows from the waistband. The apron seam was gather and then sewn to the waistline. To gather the seam, to parallel lines are sewn on the right side of the fabric, a scant ¼” apart. Long tails of thread are left for gathering. The bobbin threads (on the wrong side of the fabric) are held on either end of the seam and gently lugged, gathering the fabric evenly on the threads. Do not scrimp and only sew one thread of long length stitches you.

Grain

Direction of the fabric that runs parallel to the selvage (a stretcher grain is found running perpendicular to the selvage). Commercial patterns have an arrow on them ßà indicating direction of the grain to assist in laying out the pattern pieces correctly.

Hem

Fabric that it turned up on the lower edge of a garment or sleeve to provide a finished edge. Often extra fabric is left in the hem with children clothing to allow for growth (especially skirts and slacks).

Inseam

Seam inside the leg of pants that runs from the crotch to the hem.

Interfacing

Fabric used between layers of fabric to provide stabilization and form. Used in collars, cuffs, plackets, some waistbands, pockets, & facings.

Ironing

Ironing is done by moving the iron back and forth over fabric ironing is generally not utilized when sewing.

Lining

Used to finish the inside of a garment, to hide the seam construction, to allow for ease of putting a garment on or taking it off, and provide decorative effect. A lining is cut of the same pattern pieces as the garment and often is made of “slippery” fabrics. It provides a minimal amount of warmth and usually extends the life of a garment. Linings should be washable if the garment is washable and linings should be pre washed.

Nap or pile

Nap is the “fuzzy” part of a fabric that is usually directional in nature. Corduroy and velvet are good examples of fabric which has a nap or a pile. If smoothed with the hand in one direction, nap is typically shiny in one direction and not shiny in the other. When cutting out a pattern, care should be taken to keep fabric pieces going in the same direction nap-wise unless one is internationally mixing naps and piles to produce a different kind of look. See “pile”.

Needle

Sewing machine needles come in a variety of sizes and types-ball point and sharps are the two major categories. Ball point is used for knits and regular sharp needles are used for non stretch fabrics. There are also all purpose needles but it is recommended that you use ball point or regular rather than all purpose. There are wing needles, wedge needles, needles of varying sizes and shapes, as well as twin needles for some fancier stitching.

Notch

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.

Over lock

An overcast stitch to prevent raveling of fabric. There are sewing machines made to do over lock stitching. See “serger”.

Pin tuck

Narrow sewn rows of fabric that give a decorative raised look to a garment. Some bloused are made with pin tucking on the bodies for a more tailored look.

Piping

A cord covered with fabric, often used for decorative edging on garment or projects.

Pivot

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

Placket

A V-shaped opening at the end of a sleeve that is finished with a bias strip before the cuff is attached.

Pleat

A fold in fabric that is either inverted or folded outward is not sewn except on the top edge (as in a skirt or slacks waistband) and provides decorative or functional fullness.

Presser foot

The part of the sewing machine that holds the fabric in place as it is being sewn and fed through by the feed dogs. Specially feet such as zigzag buttonhole, cording, blind hem, and others are often included with a sewing machine upon purchase and are best learned by consulting the sewing machines manual.

Raw (edge)

The edge of fabric that is not stitched or finished.

Right side

The right side of the fabric is the design side. There are instances of fabric with no right or wrong side visible, and the determination and appropriate markings are then made by the person doing the pattern cutting and sewing.

Satin stitch

A very tight zigzag stitch that is available on most sewing machines. If it is not automatically available, the stitch length can be set to almost 0 to achieve a satin stitch with a plain zigzag machine.

Seam

The result when two pieces of fabric are sewn together along a line.

Seam allowance

The distance between a cut edge and stitching line is called a Seam Allowance. It will be added when you cut your fabrics, as it may cause puckering of your seam later on.

Serger

A type of sewing machine that stitches the seam, encases the seam with thread, and cuts off excess fabric at the same time. These are used for construction of garment with knit fabrics mostly, or to finish seams of any fabric.

Shank button

A button with space left between the button and fabric. A shank button is one made with a shank. Other buttons can be “shanked” by wrapping thread under the button to create a shank.

Dart

A fold in fabric which is stitched to give shape depending where it is positioned it will appear to taper at both ends.

Top Stitching

A line of machine stitching made on the outside of a garment parallel to an edge or seam.

Stay Stitches

A line of stitches made by hand or machined to prevent stretching.