Basic Sewing Terms and Definitions Ready… Set… SEW! Basic Sewing Terms and Definitions

Backstitch At the beginning, and end of your stitching, a few reverse stitches on your machine locks your stitches, so they don’t unravel.

Running stitch Hand-sewn stitch that weaves in and out of the fabric, resulting in a dashed line.

Like walking in a straight line and leaving footprints!

Edgestitch Straight stitching very close to the edge of a seam, trim, or outer edge.  It secures seam allowances, prevents the edge from stretching, and supports the fabric.

When you are walking on the edge you are walking on the outer part of something

Slip stitch Used to join two folded edges or one folded edge to a flat surface, for an almost invisible stitch.

Stitch Width How wide each stitch can be made, from a narrow stitch to a wide stitch. The stitch width adjustment gives the machine the ability to go from a straight line stitch to a zigzag stitch

Zig-Zag Stitch looks like a ‘W’ pattern! Woo!

Length of a stitch determined by the movement of the feed dogs Stitch Length Length of a stitch determined by the movement of the feed dogs

The bigger number of your shoe size, the longer your feet The bigger number of your shoe size, the longer your feet. The bigger number of your stitch length, the longer your stitch!

Seam allowance This is the amount of space between the edge of the fabric and where you will sew the fabric together.

Seam line This is the line on which you sew. The straighter this line is, the more tailored your garment or project will look

Look down at the side of your leg right now. You can SEE the Seam!

Pinning Pins should be PERPENDICULAR to the raw edge. The heads of the pins should be facing OUT!

The head of your pin should be along the outside of your fabric The head of your pin should be along the outside of your fabric. Think about roasting marshmallows; the marshmallow is like the head of your pin!

To cut away excess fabric How to cut Special Cuts Trim  To cut away excess fabric Clip A small cut into the seam allowance to allow fabric to bend at curves and points. Want to trim weight…you also want to trim fabric! Clip so you can flip!

How to Read a Pattern

Right side of the fabric This is the side you see when the garment is finished. This side may be brighter or smoother than the wrong (or inner) side.

The RIGHT side is the BRIGHT side!

Usually the inside of a garment or the backside of fabric Wrong side Usually the inside of a garment or the backside of fabric The DULL side!

Selvage the part of fabric where you often see manufacturer’s information, contrasting trim, etc. The selvage does not fray

FRAY! Hey what do you say?! The selvage won’t fray!

Lengthwise grainline This thread runs the entire length of the fabric and is parallel to the selvage. When you place a pattern on the fabric, you align the pattern’s grainline with the fabric’s lengthwise grain

GrainLine L-LENGTH

Notches Pattern marks shaped like diamonds or triangles that are printed on the cutting line of a pattern to indicate where the seams should match

If you don’t cut your NOTCH…you’ll have an uneven CROTCH!

Unfinished, cut edge of fabric Raw edge Unfinished, cut edge of fabric

Hem This is at the edge of a finished sewing project. Usually it is folded over at least once and then sewn in place.

Inseam The inside seam on pants—runs from the hem of the pant to the point of the crotch

Casing A narrow passage for string or elastic, as in the waistband of a garment, made by folding over a small strip of fabric at its edge along its width and sewing it in place.

Casing Remembered: If your phone CASE is not big enough for your phone, it will not cover and protect it! *Your casing covers and conceals your elastic or string

Lining In sewing and tailoring, a lining is an inner layer of fabric, fur, or other material inserted into clothing, hats, luggage, handbags, and other similar items.

Sewing Tools

Tracing wheel   An instrument with a smooth-edged, small serrated or needle-pointed wheel mounted on one end of a handle to transfer markings onto paper or fabric

Tracing paper Paper which has been coated on one or both sides with white or colored wax or chalk—used in conjunction with the tracing wheel

Seam Ripper A tool with a small curved blade that has a sharp point on one end and a plastic tip on the other end that is used to remove stitches

When a seam is no good, rip it out! RIP seam!

Sewing Tape Measures A tape measure is a must-have tool for sewing. It is a flexible ruler to allow you to measure your body’s curves.

Hand Sewing Needles Make the correct choice when choosing a hand sewing needle to eliminate damaging fabric and make the task easier “Eye” of the needle

Sewing Gauges Sewing gauges are hand tools for measuring small areas as you are sewing

Accurate cutting for any given sewing task helps maintain accuracy Shears Accurate cutting for any given sewing task helps maintain accuracy For fabric only! The raised handle shape of shears is so you can lay them flat on the cutting surface and guide your cuts accurately.

Zipper Foot A zipper foot is used specifically for sewing on zippers Zipper Foot A zipper foot is used specifically for sewing on zippers. It replaces the presser foot *Only contains one of the “skis” that a presser foot would have. *Designed to follow the teeth of a zipper accurately and neatly * FLIP BEFORE YOU ZIP! (PRESSER FOOT OFF, ZIPPER FOOT ON!)

Now you have your very own sewing dictionary!