Chapter 7 - Fabric (The Essential Quality Indicator)
This is the reason fabric is called the “essential quality indicator”: it makes the greatest single contribution to these two aspects of a garment.
What are garment cost and overall quality?
These larger garment sections, such as front, back, and sleeves, are distinguished from smaller components like collars, cuffs, and pockets.
What are panels?
This is the basic definition of a stitch: the interlooping or interlacing of these elements to hold fabrics together.
What are threads?
These components include zippers, buttons, thread, labels, and elastic—everything except the body fabric itself.
What are findings?
This term is defined as the line where two or more pieces of fabric are permanently joined, forming part of a garment’s structural framework.
What is a seam?
This stage of production is defined as the process of joining cut parts, like sleeves, collars, and waistbands, to form a wearable garment.
What is garment assembly?
These five physical features together describe how a fabric is built: the fibers, the yarns, the overall structure (woven/knit/nonwoven), and these two processes applied for color and performance.
What are dyeing and finishes?
This is the main reason parts and panels matter: together they influence structure, shape, fit, comfort, durability, and this visual factor that customers notice first.
What is appearance?
This stitch type, numbered 301, is the most common in apparel, made with a needle thread and a bobbin thread, producing a clean seam but with limited stretch.
What is the lockstitch?
These are decorative elements such as ribbons, lace, braids, beads, sequins, and rhinestones that add visual interest and sometimes function.
What are trims?
This most common seam classification, abbreviated SS, is formed by stacking layers and stitching them together and appears in a majority of everyday garments.
What is the superimposed seam?
This later stage prepares assembled garments for the market through tasks such as thread trimming, pressing, repair, labeling, folding, and packaging.
What is garment finishing?
These two yarn types are contrasted as dull, slightly fuzzy, and more prone to pilling versus smooth, lustrous, and more resistant to pilling and lint. Name both.
What are spun yarns and filament yarns?
This garment feature supports closures, gives structure to openings, and when poorly built, can twist, pucker, or look uneven, lowering perceived value.
What is a placket?
This stitch type, numbered 401, is more flexible and supports faster production but can unravel if it breaks, making it common in denim and some knits.
What is the chainstitch?
This is the key reason findings and trims must be tested carefully: if they are not compatible with the garment fabric in this aspect, they can negate the fabric’s performance in wear and care.
What is compatibility?
This vertical shaping device, made by folding out a wedge of fabric and stitching it, helps garments contour to curves like the bust or waist.
What is a dart?
This step uses heat, moisture, and pressure to smooth wrinkles and set seams before garments go to the sales floor.
What is final pressing?
These two basic fabric structures are contrasted: one interlaces yarns at right angles with low stretch and high stability, while the other forms interlooped yarns with more stretch, comfort, and wrinkle resistance. Name the two structures.
What are woven fabrics and knit fabrics?
This hidden component adds stiffness and shape to collars and cuffs and helps prevent bubbling when applied correctly.
What is interfacing?
This stitch class, numbered 504, is used to wrap thread around raw edges, often trimming them as it sews, to prevent fraying and is frequently seen inside T-shirts.
What is the overlock stitch?
These label details are highlighted as essential: brand, size, this care-related information, this country detail, and this fiber-related identification. Name any three of the five.
What are care information, country of origin, and fiber identification? (Brand and size also count.)
This is the primary purpose of edge finishes like overlock stitching, binding, and hems: to prevent this problem and improve interior appearance.
What is fraying or unraveling?
This simple quality task removes hanging thread ends from seams and trims so the garment looks neat and finished.
What is thread trimming?
A fabric testing slide lists four key numbers: about 4% maximum shrinkage for wovens, around 160 lbs tensile strength for warp yarns in heavyweight jeans, and ratings of 4+ for these two performance areas related to color. Name both color-related properties being tested.
What are dry crocking and lightfastness?
These woven fabric strips come in various widths and materials. (Such as grosgrain, satin, velvet, picot-edge)
What are ribbons.
This problem occurs when fabric is drawn into small ridges or ripples along the seam because the thread tension is too tight or the fabric and stitch are incompatible.
What is seam puckering?
Thread is called the “unsung hero” of garment performance. Name three thread characteristics from the chapter that must align with the fabric and garment use for high-quality seams.
What are strength, fiber content, type and size, and color? Any three earn full credit.
This particularly strong seam type, often used in denim and workwear, is a kind of lapped seam that fully encloses raw edges for a very durable finish.
What is a flat-felled seam?
This visible appearance issue results when a garment is stored or shipped without proper pressing and can make even a well-constructed garment look low quality.
What is wrinkling?