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Sewing Definitions
BASTE: Long, temporary stitches that holds two or more layers of fabric together; con be done by hand or machine.
BATTING: Made of polyester, polyester/cotton, cotton, wool or silk. It is middle layer in bed coverings, pillow, jackets etc., that gives cover loft.
BIAS CUT: When a fabric is cut from one corner to the other corner. Cross grain, This allows for the weave to be on a slant which gives greater elasticity to the garment.
BOX PLEAT: When two pleats are folded to the back of the fabric in opposite directions. The outside of of each pleat meets in the center making a box.
BUCKRAM: Course, heavily sized fabric used for stiffening: available in pre cut widths or by the yard.
DOUBLE ENDING: A technique to match geometric prints & plaids. Done by marking and sewing the center point, stitching slowly and carefully from each end toward the center
BUTTON TUFTING: Tufting is much like quilting--like tied quilts. Cords are pulled through the upholstery and tied to the back on the frame to hold the filling in place. They create puffs and valleys in the shape of squares or diamonds. Fabric covered buttons enhance the pattern and cover the small hoes where the cords have been drawn through the fabric.
COLORFAST: Fabrics are rated for their ability to retain colors. Those that are rated as colorfast will not fade or lose their color in cleaning or sunlight. This is all based on normal conditions. Example: A blouse that is colorfast and is left to hand out on the line for days will be exposed to extreme sunlight conditions and this is not normal conditions. The sun will affect the color, or a chair placed in front of a window would not be normal condition for the fabric to maintain it's colorfast state.
DRESSMAKER DETAILS: As simple as it sounds it is! Example: a bow to match the fabric of a dress in a contrasting color, or lining fabrics, pleats, belts. etc.
FINGER PRESS: Technique of pressing small fabric sections without an iron; fabrics are flattened between thumb and forefinger.
FLANGE: The edge of a cloth that is used to hold as an anchor or support
FLOCKING: Tiny bits of cotton or wool fibers are applied to a ground fabric with adhesive to form patterns. This sometimes give the look of cut velvet or burnout fabrics
GAUFFRAGE: A process in giving a special effect like crimping, scrunching, plating or fluting to fabric by means of heat. Either a hot iron or a heating process
GIMP: A fancy braid that is tightly woven. Use to decorate almost anything from curtains, dresses, gown, furniture, lamps. Especially useful to cover corners and edges of furniture not only to decorate it, but to strengthen the corners where the fabric and the wood meet. Gimp will come in many fabric and grades. Usually the more expensive designer gimps are superior to local fabric stores. Wrapped in cotton, silk, wood, and blends. Gimp comes in many widths and usually is in a solid color. Gimp is used almost always before double welting.
GRAINLINE: Directions of threads that make up fabric; lengthwise grain threads are parallel to the selvage (finished sides), and crosswise grain threads are at right angles to selvage.
GROUND: The background color that another pattern has been printed on. On busy prints the ground sometimes is almost invisible
MITER: Joining two perpendicular pieces of fabric at an angle. A mitered corner or hem is when the corner is turned under, folded, and stitched evenly at a 45 degree angle. A mitered corner creates less bulk and a much neater appearance.
PASSEMENTERIE: A very narrow braid or cord which is usually black, is sewn onto a garment in detailed, complex intertwined patterns. Many centuries ago these patterns were in great demand.
RAILROADING: A tailors term used when fabrics are on the cross grain or horizontally. This is to avoid multiple seams on the fabric and piecing fabrics together. Great example is a dust ruffle or the back of a couch
STRAIGHT GRAIN: This is the direction from top to bottom of you fabric. Unless otherwise noted. most patterns are laid out on this grain. Pattern pieces will show an arrow letting you know which way to lay the fabric. Selvages are on the straight of grain. To prevent your item from twisting after washing. lay your patten piece on the fabric. Place a pin at the end of one arrow. Measure the distance from the arrow to the selvage. Now move down to the other end of the arrow and measure the same distance as the top and pin. Now your ready to pin the balance of your pattern to the fabric
SELF-WELTING: Welting that is made with the same fabric as the rest of the upholstery
SELVAGE: The left and right side of the fabric. Patterns are usually laid in the same direction of the selvage. The weave of the selvage is usually heavier and tighter knit. It stabilizes the fabric and prevent unraveling. Sewing clothing using the selvage as one side is not recommended as it will not allow to movement in conjunctions with the unselvaged other side. Selvages are great to save with you cut them off. You can use them to stabilize a seam such as a shoulder or armhole after sewing the pieces together. Ex: after sewing the shoulder together, take a piece of the selvage you cut off and lay it over the seam. Sew one straight piece across the shoulder. This will strengthen the shoulder and help prevent fabric from being stretched. Great for fine thin fabrics. Designer clothing will almost always have this in the shoulder or along the sleeves when it will not be shown through the clothing
WARP THREADS: Thread that run vertically from one end of a bolt to the other end. The loom is strung with warp thread while weft thread are woven through
WEFT THREADS: Threads are woven horizontally between warp threads. Often called filling thread |
