Of of the trade
Machine mastery
Basic Terms
Fabric facts
Don't sweat the technique
100

Small, sharp pieces of metal used to temporarily hold fabric in place as a guide



What are pins?

100

Similar to a spool of thread, but much smaller and used in addition to the spool of thread in a sewing machine

What is a Bobbin?

100

The line where two pieces of fabric are sewn together

What is the Seam?

100

The orientation of fibers, woven or knit together, to create a fabric

What is Fabric Grain?

100

This hand technique is used to close openings that were not song so that an item could be turned outside out.

What is the Slip Stitch?

200

A small blade on the end of a handle used to remove stitches or poke holes

What is a Seam Ripper?

200

This machine attachment is used to power the sewing machine (hands-free!)

What is a Foot Pedal?

200

The space of fabric between the edge and seam

What is the Seam Allowance?

200

This textile is used to add strength or stability to a fabric. It can be applied by hand sewing or fusing with a hot iron.

What is interfacing?

200

This machine sewing technique is used at the beginning and end of each scene to ensure your scene won't come apart.

What is backstitching?

300

A wire tool that can be inserted into the eye of a needle to help with threading

What is a Needle Threader?

300

Used to adjust the needle height

What is the Hand Wheel?

300

The cut edge of fabric which can unravel as opposed to the selvage edge which is secured from unraveling by the factory.

What is raw edge?

300

any textile formed by weaving

What is the Woven fabric?

300

The process of cutting corners diagonally to reduce bulk and produce a sharp corner.

What is clipping corners?

400

 a thin flat piece of hard chalk or soapstone used by tailors and seamstresses for making temporary marks on cloth.

What is Taylor's chalk?

400

The part of the sewing machine that keeps the spool in place while the thread is fed into the machine

What is the Spool Pin?

400

This term refers to the process of putting your 2 pieces of fabric together so that the right sides of the fabric are touching each other on the inside and the wrong sides of the fabric are showing on the outside.

What is, "right sides together" ?

400

The fabric surface that is dull and usually hidden inside the garment.

What is the wrong side of the fabric?

400

Sewing, by hand or machine, with long stitches in order to temporarily hold together two pieces of fabric, so that they stay in place while you stitch them together

What is Baste?

500

Although it looks similar to something used for cutting pizza, this round rotating blade attached to a handle is used for cutting fabric.

What is a rotary cutter?

500

The toothed metal piece underneath the stitch plate that moves up and down to push the fabric along

What is the Feed Dog?

500

The process of stitching two layers of fabric together, with a layer of batting filling in between them. 

What is Quilting?

500

A sturdy woven cotton fabric commonly used to make jeans.

What is denim?

500

This machine sewing technique is used to add decoration and sometimes stability to a seam.

What is topstitching?

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