Glossary of Sewing Terminologies




A

Applique: An embellishment that is sewn or ironed onto another piece of fabric.

Arm scythe: Armhole where the sleeve is sewn.

Awl: Tool used to make holes for an eyelet fabric.


B

Backstitch: Stitch that doubles back on the last stitch that acts to secure seams and mend garments.

Baste: To temporarily hold two pieces of fabric together with long, loose stitches that can easily be removed

Batting: Flattened material, usually cotton or fiberfill, that is usually used as the “fluff” inside quilts or garments.

Bias: The direction diagonal from the direction of the fabric. The stretchiest part of the fabric.

Bias tape: Strips of fabric cut on the bias, often used for binding and facing. It sews neatly around curve and is used commonly in blankets, place mats, bibs, and aprons.

Binding: A strip of fabric used to cover a seam edge or enclose raw edges. Binding creates a neat finish and a decorative touch.

Blanket stitch: A hand stitching technique used for decorative edging and embroidery.

Blend: Fabric made of more than one type of fabric.

Blind hem: Stitch that is not meant to be seen from the right side of the fabric. Usually done by picking up just a few threads of fabric rather than going all the way through.

Block: The individual unit of a quilt.

Bobbin: The spindle or cylinder on which thread is wound in a sewing machine.

Bodice: The part of the garment from shoulder to waist.

Bodkin: Tool used for inserting elastic or cording through a casing.

Bolt: An amount of fabric on a roll or cardboard piece.

Bonding: Joining two pieces of fabric together with a bonding agent or a fabric glue.

Broadcloth: Fabric made from cotton or a blend that is tightly woven and may have slight ridges.

Buttonhole: A cut in the fabric that is bound with stitching and is just big enough for a button to pass through.


C

Capped sleeves: A short sleeve that doesn't extend beyond your underarm.

Casing: Fabric envelopes used to encase elastic, drawstrings, etc. in garments.

Count: Number of warp/weft intersections per inch. The higher the number, the higher the weave.

Cording: A twisted or woven “rope” that is used in piping or as a drawstring. When covered in fabric, it is called piping.

Cut length: Measurement of fabric that allows for hems, pleats, etc.; the length to which the fabric must be cut before beginning to sew.


D

Darn: Repairing a hole by stitching back and forth to fill the hole.

Dart: A v-shaped adjustment to allow for more fullness in the bust or less fullness in other areas

D Ring: A metal or plastic ring shaped like a “D” used in purses, belts, and other projects to accept fabric or other material for a handle or tie closure



E

Edgestitch: A stitch done a scant 1/8 inch from the folded or seamed edge.

Embellishment: Adding special stitches, appliques, or other decorations added to sewing projects.

Embroidery: A decorative topstitching; embellishment of a fabric which creates a design.

Empire waist: A waistline on a garment that is higher than the natural waist.



F

Fat quarter: ¼ of a yard of fabric that is 18 in X 22 in, as opposed to the regular ¼ yard that is 9 in X 45 in.

Feed Dog: The “teeth” of the sewing machine that move the fabric as it is sewn.

Finishing a seam: Preventing a seam from unraveling and adding stability by using certain stitches or tools.

Foot: The part of a sewing machine the presses down on the fabric as it is moved.

Free motion: Machine sewing done with the feed dogs down, moving the fabric freehand.

Fusibles: Fabrics with heat-sensitive adhesive on one side that allows it to bind to another fabric



G

Give: Elasticity or stretch of fabric.

Grain: The direction of the fabric that runs parallel to the selvedge.

Guild: A group of people who discuss and practice sewing.



H

Hem: Finished bottom edge of a garments.

Hemline: Lowest edge of a garment once the hem is sewn.

Hook & eye closure: A closure with a small hook on one side and a loop on the other.



I

Inseam: Vertical seams on pants between the legs.

Interfacing: Sewn-in or fusible fabric used to stabilize the fabric.



L

Lettuce hem: A serged edge that is stretched as it is sewn, resulting in a ruffled edge.

Lining: Fabric that covers the construction details on the inside of the garments.



M

Miter: Slanted seams where two hems meet at a corner. 

Muslin: An inexpensive fabric used to make crafts, back quilts, or make a draft garment.



N

Non-woven: Fabric that is not made from thread or yarn.

Notion: A term for any item used for sewing other than fabric and the machine.



O

Overcast/overstitching: Stitching over a seam to prevent unraveling.



P

Pattern weights: Weights used to hold down paper patterns instead of pins.

Peplum: A top that has a flared "skirt" waistline.

Piping: A slim piece of bias-cut fabric that covers cording and is inserted into a seam. Used as a decorative trim.

Pins: Pins hold fabric together.

Pleat: A fold in the fabric that is not sewn except on the top edge, providing decorative fullness.

Pre-washing: Washing fabric before using it in sewing projects to prevent shrinking.

Press: Using an iron to smooth fabric.



R

Raveling: Giving the edge of the fabric a fringed look by allowing threads to loosen on their own or pulling threads from a tight seam.

Raw Edge: unfinished, cut edge of fabric.

Rick Rack: zigzag trim that is used to decorate sewing projects.

Right side: the visible, designed side of the fabric

Rotary cutter: A sewing tool used to cut fabric. It consists of a round blade that cuts through the fabric by rotating as it is rolled along.

Running stitch: Simple stitch made by running back and forth through the fabric.



S

Scrap buster: A sewing projects that can be made using your leftover fabric scraps.

Seam: When two pieces of fabric are sewn together along a line.

Seam allowance: The fabric between the edge and the stitches.

Seam ripper: Tool with a small hook that can undo a stitch without damaging fabric.

Selvedge: The edge of the fabric which does not fray; should not be included in your cut of fabric.

Serger: A type of sewing machine that stitches a seam, encases the seam with thread, and cuts off excess fabric at the same time. They are great for finishing any seams, especially with knit fabrics.

Set-in Sleeve: A sleeve that is attached separately to the armhole of a garment, rather than as part of the original cut of fabric.

Spool: The holder of thread.

Stash: Collection of fabric.

Straight Stitch: Stitching made with single stitches in a straight line.



T

Tack: A temporary stitch used to hold pieces together, removed after the final stitching.

Tension: Pressure placed on your needle and bobbin thread by your machine.

Top stitch: A row of continuous stitches on the top or “right” side of a garment as a sometimes decorative, sometimes functional feature.

Tracing paper: Paper used with a tracing wheel that has an ink substance on one side that marks on fabric.

Tracing wheel: A device that transfers marks and measurments onto the fabric.

Trim: Embellishments such as rick rack, lace, and cording generally used on the edges of a garment.



U

Underlining: Lining that adds body to an article of clothing.

Understitching: Keeps a facing or lining from rolling onto the right side of a fabric.



W

Walking foot: Foot attachment that allows a machine to sew through several layers of fabric.

Warp: Threads running the length of a given fabric.

Weft: Threads running at a 90 degree angle from the length of the fabric.

Whipstitch: A simple running stitch used to hold two pieces of fabric together.

Wrong side: The side of fabric with no design that usually is not visible when the garment or other project is finished.



Z

Zigzag stitch: A stitch that goes one way and then the other, which provides a finishing seam or a decorative touch to any garment.


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