Glossary of Sewing Terms

Sewing patterns and instructions are full of new words and terms which if you are new to sewing you might be less familiar with.

Reduce the confusion and overwhelm with this handy glossary of sewing terms - regularly updated from your questions and suggestions!

Appliqué: Layering fabrics on, or under (reverse appliqué), each other and stitching them in place to create embellishment and decoration.

Awl: A multi purpose tool with a long metal prong with a pointed end attached to a rounded wooden handle. This versatile tool is used in pattern making to punch holes in paper and card, and pivot or to “walk” pattern pieces and tailoring tool to guide fabric under the machine foot, or for precise fabric control or unpicking.

Back Stitch: A few backward stitches at the beginning and end of a row of stitches will stop a joined seam coming undone.

(Machine or Hand) Baste: A long stitch created to join fabric together temporarily. This is best done in a contrast thread so the stitches can be removed easily.

Bias: The 45 degree angle from the straight grain of a fabric.

Bias Binding: A narrow strip of fabric, cut on the bias grain of the fabric, and used for finishing curved seams.

Bobbin: The small metal or plastic spool to hold the thread that goes into the cavity at the bottom of the sewing machine.

Clip: Clip into curved seams to release and open up the smaller seam allowance edge of a concave curved seam or reduce bulk in a larger outside edge of or a convex seam. Helps seams to lie flat.

Ease: Gently manipulate fabric by stretching or condensing the stitching line to match 2 layers of fabric to each other. may be combined with stay stitching or ease stitching.

Edge Stitch: Straight stitching close to the edge (usually 3-6mm from the seam edges) at an opening or seam (pocket or waist band etc) for a smart finish.

Facing: A facing is a fabric piece sewn to the outside of a garment then folded inward and stitched to create professional finished edges at necklines, hems and other openings.

Finish the raw edges: Use an overlocker, an overcasting stitch, a zig zag stitch or pinking shears to stop the edge of fabric from fraying.

Hem: The finished opening edges of a garments where limbs are inserted, usually at the bottom of a skirt or trousers, or sleeve for example.

Interfacing: A layer of thinner fabric attached to the inside of a heavier fabric to stabilise the outer fabric or add structure to the finished item. Available in fusible and non-fusible format in a wide variety of different weights and flexibilities for different jobs.

Iron: Use an Iron with a backwards and forwards action to smooth creases out of fabric.

Press: Use an iron to set a seam or details like pleats or to apply interfacing. Press firmly on the area to press. Use a pressing cloth to protect delicate fabric. Different to ironing!

Pressing Cloth: A thin piece of fabric (often muslin, cotton, silk or linen) placed between an iron and fabric to protect the garment from heat damage, shine, and direct contact during pressing.

Lining: An inner layer of fabric sewn inside a garment to conceal seams, provide structure, improve comfort, and create a finished interior appearance.

Notions: The haberdashery (sewing) materials you need to complete your sewing project including threads, fastenings and interfacings.

Right side: The side of the fabric is the side that you want visible on the outside of the project. Not all fabrics have a different right side and wrong side.

Seam: The stitching which hold two pieces of fabric together.

Seam Allowance (SA): Extra fabric between your seam and the raw edge of your fabric. This varies depending on your project and the instructions will tell you what seam allowance to use. For dressmaking projects it is usally 1.5cm or 5/8”.

Selvedge: The edges of fabric (perpendicular to the cut edge) where it was held in the weaving process. Use them to align the fabric when cutting fabric on the fold. If they are tight and distort the fabric you can remove them before laying out your pattern pieces.

Stay Stitch: Long, straight stitching sewn within the seam allowance especially on curved edges like necklines, armholes etc to prevent the fabric from stretching out of shape as it is handled and worked with. stay stitching can be gently condensed to ease pieces together.

Tacking: Another word for Hand Basting.

Tension: The tightness of the stitches, created by restricting or releasing the thread as it runs through the tension dials on the machine. It needs to be set correctly for the machine to sew a neatly stitch without loops or puckering.

Top Stitching is a visible line of stitching on the right side of a project or garment.

Under stitching is done on linings or facings to hold them in place and prevent them peaking out.

Warp: The threads in woven fabric which run up and down a piece of woven fabric as it is created. this is often referred to as the Straight Grain.

Weft: The threads in woven fabric which run across the fabric.

Walking pattern pieces: matching the sewing lines on pattern pieces to check they will fit together. Essential for checking pattern pieces you have drafted or made alterations to match each other before cutting and sewing.