GLOSSARY OF TERMS A helpful guide to fabric, sewing and garment terminology Find keywords in this document (Ctrl/Command+F) www.loveyourclothes.org.uk Fabric terminology Bias Fabric cut on the diagonal grain of a woven fabric. This is where there is most stretch. Fabric cut on the bias grain drapes very well. Grain Direction on woven fabrics (see more information under warp, weft and bias). Sewing patterns have an arrow on them indicating what grain direction the pattern piece should be cut on. Knitted fabric Fabric (such as jersey T-shirt material) made from a continuous length of thread that is knitted to form a piece of fabric. It generally has more stretch than woven fabrics of same fibre composition. Nap On fabrics such as velvet and corduroy there is a raised surface (or pile). Nap is the direction that the pile should face to ensure consistency in the finished garment. When you run your hand along the fabric the nap feels smooth in one direction and rougher in the other. When cutting out a garment, care should be taken to keep the nap on garment pieces going in the same direction. Right side The side of the fabric with the design on (print, embroidery, etc.), (or face) is meant to be on the outside of the garment. Selvedge The firm finished edges of a woven piece of fabric produced during manufacture that prevents it from unravelling. Warp The threads on woven fabric that run along the length of the (or straight grain) fabric (top to bottom), parallel to the selvedge – also known as length or straight grain. Weft The threads on a woven fabric that go across the width of a (or cross grain) fabric between the selvedge edges – also known as cross grain. Wrong side The side of the fabric meant to be inside a garment. 2 Fabric finishes Anti-pilling finish Enzymes or chemicals are used in the fabric production to remove small fibres from the surface of cotton garments. This helps to prevent the garment from pilling and it can also help extend the life of a garment. Non-iron finish Items such as cotton shirts are soaked in resin containing very low levels of formaldehyde. They gain added strength and increased resistance to wrinkling. Waterproof finish A durable water repellent finish is used on items such as rain coats to make them repel rain. Conventional durable water repellents are based on a chemical group called Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) which make the products water repellent, as well as oil and stain-proof. However, PFCs do not easily breakdown in the environment and some chemicals within the group have been found to be carcinogenic. More environmentally friendly fluorocarbon free finishes are now available for manufacturers to use. TOP TIP Additional help guides are available wherever you see this icon. 3 Garment terminology Armhole Space at the top of the arm/shoulder area on a garment to allow the arm to pass through. If there is a sleeve on the garment, the top of it is attached to the armhole. Collar The part around the neck of a shirt, blouse, jacket, coat, etc. that either stands upright or lays flat over the shoulder area. Cuff The bottom part of a sleeve, usually just above the wrist, where the material of the sleeve is turned back and neatened or a separate band is added to reinforce the sleeve edge. Dart A v-shaped adjustment in a garment (usually a fold stitched on the inside of a garment) made to shape the fabric around body contours such as the bust and waist. Epaulette An ornamental shoulder decoration or tab placed to decorate the shoulder of a garment such as a jacket - often used in military style clothing. Facing A piece of reinforced (interfaced) fabric used in sewing to finish the raw edges and strengthen or stiffen a garment in areas such as the collar or lapels. Fly An opening in a garment such as trousers that is secured with a zip or buttons, and usually covered by a flap. Hem The folded edge of the bottom of a garment e.g. a skirt, trousers or coat that is sewn in place to stop the edge fraying and to make the garment hang well. Lapels The parts on each side of the front of a coat or jacket immediately below the collar which is folded back on either side of the front opening. Lining A finely woven slippery fabric usually cut in the same basic shape as the main body pieces of a garment. For example, a woollen jacket can be lined with a thin silk or polyester lining fabric. The lining is used to finish the inside of a garment, to hide the seam construction, to allow for ease of putting a garment on/taking it off and to strengthen the garment construction. Piping A length of cord encased in a strip of bias cut fabric, often used for decorative edging or inserts on garments such as ladies evening wear or to edge soft furnishings. Placket An opening or slit in a garment that is usually reinforced with a double layer of fabric enclosing the raw edges, e.g. a shirt sleeve placket. Pleat A fold in fabric that is either inverted or folded outward, that is sewn in on the top edge (e.g. in a skirt waistband). Pleats ease the fit of a garment. 4 Pocket A small bag sewn in to the side seams of clothing such as trousers, used for holding small objects. A patch pocket can also be made by sewing a flat piece of fabric on to a garment on three sides, e.g. the back pockets on jeans. Sleeve The sections of a garment that cover the arms: • From the shoulder to wrist for long sleeves; • From the shoulder to just below elbow for three- quarter sleeves; and • From the shoulder to approximately half way between shoulder and elbow for short sleeves. Sleeve head The top part of the sleeve that is sewn into the shoulder seam on the outside of the arm. Waistband A reinforced strip of fabric that fits around the waist of a garment such as a skirt or a pair of trousers. It holds up sections of a garment such as the trouser leg. Yoke A fitted area of a garment that is usually around the neck and shoulders, or around the hips. It is generally made from a double layer of fabric. A yoke provides support for parts of the garment such as a gathered skirt or the body of a shirt. General terminology Biodegradable An item made of materials that will decompose naturally and thereby avoid pollution. Refashion To fashion a garment again to create a new style. Upcycle To reuse discarded objects or materials to create a product of higher quality or value than the original. 5 Sewing terminology Easing A way of adding ease into a garment, used in curved areas such as the sleeve head or the bust. This is done by sewing a longer piece of fabric to fit into a smaller piece without gathers or puckers. A line of long straight stitches is machine sewn within the seam allowance on the longer piece of fabric (e.g. a sleeve head). The thread ends are pulled up slightly, which results in the fabric edge length decreasing so that it will fit onto a shorter length of fabric (e.g. an armhole). On a woollen garment easing can also be done with steam (to shrink the wool slightly). Edge stitch A line of straight stitches sewn close to a seam or folded edge to help keep it in place and also to provide decoration, e.g. around a collar or cuff edge. Flat felled seam This is the strongest seam – it won’t fray as raw edges are concealed. It is often used on jeans. A standard seam is sewn (right sides together) with a 1.5cm seam allowance. Half of the seam allowance is cut off on one side of the seam only. The wider side of the seam allowance is brought over and around the cut edge and pressed towards the garment, so the raw edges are concealed. A line of stitching is done as close to this folded edge as possible to hold the seam in place. A third line of stitching is then done through all layers just inside the original seam. Two lines of stitching will show on the right side of garment and three lines of stitching on the wrong side of the garment. French seam A completely enclosed seam. Often used for lightweight fabrics that fray easily, such as silk. The fabric is placed wrong sides together and a line of stitches is sewn close to the edge of the seam. The fabric is then turned right sides together and a second seam is sewn. This encloses all of the raw edges. This seam construction is not suitable for curved seams. Gathering A way of sewing a long length of fabric to fit onto a shorter length of fabric, e.g. on a gathered skirt. To gather a seam, two parallel lines of long straight stitches are sewn within the seam allowance approximately 0.5cm apart. Long tails of thread are left at each end of the lines and these are pulled up to gather the fabric to the desired length. Alternatively, on some designs elastic can be threaded through a seam or attached to fabric to create gathers. Seam When two pieces of fabric are sewn together to join them, e.g.