Sewing Terms
Backing—fabric is backed with separate fabric to strengthen it or create thickness or body. The fabric and the backing fabric are treated as one layer of material.
W (waist)—the waist or area around it, between the ribcage and hips. The narrowest section is called the waistline. In this book, “W” refers to the nude waist measurement plus about 1⅝ (4cm), that is, the finished waist measurement.
Shirring—after a line of machine stitching is sewn, bobbin threads are pulled to create volume in the material. Shirring elastic is usually used for the bobbin thread. See p80.
Dart—used to fit fabric to a form, a dart is made by pinching in a small amount of fabric to reduce fullness, tapering it to a point.
Tuck—a stitched fold of fabric. The term can refer to the stitched fold of fabric used when creating an architectural silhouette, or to the act of creating the fold. A tuck can aid in freedom of movement in a garment or to add a decorative touch. The edge of a tuck is not stitched down or concealed.
Match right sides—join two pieces of fabric so the right (or outer) sides are facing each other (opposite of “match wrong sides”)
Seam allowance—the amount of extra fabric required when sections of a garment are joined by a seam. It is added on around the outside when a pattern is cut out, and is concealed inside the finished garment.
Panel—extra fabric inserted vertically into garments such as skirts, either as part of the design or for decoration.
H (hip)—the area around the hip and buttocks. A hip measurement should be taken at the widest part with the tape measure lying flat against the body. In this book, H refers to the finished hip measurement – that is, the nude hip measurement with about 1⅝ (4cm) added on for ease.
Open seam—to open out the seam by bringing the seam allowance to lie on either side of the center. A flattened seam is when both sides of the seam allowance are ironed together to lie on one side.