Sewing terminology

Back stitching is stitching a few stitched backwards and forwards at the beginning and end of a stitching line to secure the seam from unraveling.

Strips of fabric cut on the diagonal grain of the fabric, used to give a neat edge to garments.

Bias is turning a shape on a 45 degree angle to the selvedge. Pieces cut on bias grain gives stretch to the piece.

Why block fuse ? By block fusing your piece will be the correct size , piece fusing can shrink the panel .

Place all the pieces to be block fused together in your marker . Cut around these pieces leaving approximately a 2.5cm space around the edge - this is incase the fabric shrinks . Cut fusing to the same shape as the piece of fabric and iron onto the reverse side of the fabric . Place the pattern pieces on the fused fabric , pin & cut out.

The hole the button is thread through.Most domestic sewing machines have buttonhole setting to allow you to create buttonholes to the desired size.

- Some machines have a buttonhole foot

* A seam ripper can be an easy way to cut through your buttonhole once stitched

Clipping is when you clip the seam on a curved seam to help it sit flat. Don’t clip too close to the stitch or the seam will not be secure

Cut pieces so the run perpendicular to selvedge.

Folded parts of fabric that are sewn down to create shape in a garment. particularly over busts or to create waist shape. The dart position is indicated by notches and a drillhole.

It a mark on the pattern as a little dot to indicate a dart or a placement position like pocket position

Edge stitch is a 2nd row of stiches very close to the seam line on the right side of the fabric. It helps keep a seam in place and can also be used as a finishing feature to your garment.

This is the raw edge of the fabric. It can be used a s a feature but can also happen naturally after wash and wear if you do not finish/neaten your seams.

Stitching a longer stitch and pulling threads to bunch fabric up and give a gathered look

Also called straight grain. It is runs parallel to the selvedge of the fabric. Usually indicated by an arrow on your patterns, to indicate how to lay your piece on the fabric.

Folded edge of garment to create a finish. Often at bottom of garment or bottom of sleeve.

Also called fusing. Is a fabric that Is attached to the wrong side of the fabric and often has a texture that sticks to the fabric when heated with iron. The interfacing stiffens the fabric to allow buttons, collars and cuffs to sit better.

Mark on pattern to help align and match pieces together, also to indicate things like gather intervals or zip positions.

The raw unfinished edge of cut fabric. Can be used as a feature in some fabrics.

Right side is side of the fabric showing the best side of a print or fabric. The side that will be worn on outside of garment.

Is the amount distance from the edge of the cut fabric to the position you stitch the garment. This is the amount allowed on the pattern to stich the garment. Indicated on Kids Pattern Co patterns with a dotted line.

A seam ripper (quick unpick) is a handy tool for your sewing kit. You can use it- if you make a mistake and want to unpick a stitched seam- to cut through buttonholes

The seams in the inside of a garment can be finished in different ways to make it look neat and stop the seams fraying.

Is the finished edge of the fabric parallel to the roll or loom when fabric is made. This area is usually unusable for your garment

a tool used to pierce a hole in fabric for a drillhole position.

If you don't have one you can also mark with tailors chalk.

are the 2 basic components used to weave to create threads or yarns into fabric. The lengthwise yarn is the warp thread. The cross thread is the weft .

The under side of the fabric that will be inside the garment.