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Glossary of terms
- armscye
- Noun: This is what your arm does when you tell it bad puns. No,
really, it's the curved inset in the body of a garment into which the
sleeve cap is sewn.
- automatic tension
- A sewing machine feature. In very low priced machines, this is a
euphamism for "We've preset the tension so that there's nothing you can do
about it, so now you can suffer with whatever the results are." In higher
priced models, this may refer to a computerized system which dynamically
tests and adjusts the balance of the tension to (hopefully) improve
results. In some cases this works quite well and can make quality sewing
with difficult fabrics much more hassle-free.
- awl
- A short pointed tool used for manipulating small details which the
fingertips are too bulky to finely control or for pushing out points.
- baste
- Verb: To temporarily affix one piece of fabric to another, usually
with long, easily removed stitches. Basting is often used to make a test
seam so that you may examine the appearance of the seam to ensure that it
appears correct before sewing a permanent seam, or for holding the fabric
in place while a seam is sewn elsewhere.
- bobbin
- Noun: A small spool of thread inserted in the bottom of a sewing
machine used to form the lower part of the sewing machine's stitches.
- bobbin case
- Noun: A small case into which the bobbin is inserted and threaded,
which is then inserted into the sewing machine. Bobbin cases are commonly
used in sewing machines which have vertical bobbins.
- burn test
- A method of determining the fiber composition of a fabric by burning a
small piece and examining the scent of the smoke, the behavior of the
flames, and the appearance of the ashes. This information is compared to a
chart of known fabric burning behaviors to determine the specific fiber
content.
- computerized sewing machine
- Noun: A sewing machine that your kid can use but you can't. Just
kidding. (Pun intended.) Actually, it means that the internal functions of
the sewing machine are coordinated by a microprocessor. This has several
consequences. First, the machine can be designed to be lighter, cheaper,
faster, and more reliable. Second, the machine may be able to easily
perform complicated stitches that an equivalently priced mechanical
machine would be unable to perform.
- darn
- Four letter word that you can use if you wish to use an expletive in
front of the children. Alternatively, verb: a method of mending a hole in
fabric by sewing a tight grid of stitches to replace the missing part of
the fabric with new construction formed by the stitches.
- ditch stitch
- Verb: A method of performing topstitching that is not apparently
visible by stitching in the ditch formed by an existing seam.
- ease
- Noun: The difference in measurement between the wearer's measurements
for a garment or pattern and the size of the garment when correctly
tailored for them. Larger amounts of ease correspond to baggier garments.
No ease indicates a garment that fits precisely against the skin. (This is
a bad idea because it doesn't account for the fact that you move or
breathe.) Negative ease indicates that the garment will be smaller than
actual body measurements and is intended to stretch to size while worn.
(Common in swimwear and other exercise garments.)
- ease in
- Verb: To sew a fabric edge to another that is shorter, compressing the
length of the longer piece such that the ends of both edges meet at both
ends of the seam. This is commonly performed through gathering. Easing in
can also be performed easily, in some cases, on the sewing machine. The
feed dogs of the sewing machine have a natural easing in action. The
longer fabric is placed on the bottom, next to the feed dogs. It feeds
slightly faster than the top layer, and is eased into the seam. (Note:
This doesn't always work, try it as practice or baste first.)
- electronic sewing machine
- Noun: A sewing machine which has internal electronic, but not
necessarily computerized, parts. These parts usually perform functions
relating to finer or more accurate control of the motor and informational
features rather than to stitch patterns.
- embroidery
- Noun: Decorative topstitching, often forming areas of fabric covered
by thread to form images.
- feed dogs
- 1. Noun: The teethlike part of a sewing machine or serger located
below the presser feet which pulls the fabric through the machine.
- 2. Imperative: What your mother yells at you to do after dinner.
- flat bed
- Noun: A type of sewing machine or serger which is intended to be
installed into a table or cabinet such that the sewing surface of the
machine becomes continuous with the table or cabinet surface. This can be
very nice because it helps support large fabric objects you may be sewing,
but eliminates the advantages of a free arm.
- foot control / foot pedal
- Noun: A mouse-like device which is placed on the floor rather than the
table and which is stepped on rather than moved around, used to apply
power to the sewing machine or serger. We recommend that you don't attempt
to double click it.
- free arm
- Noun: The sewing surface of a sewing machine or serger which is
designed to allow the user to more easily sew around a tubular
construction by sliding it onto the end of the machine. This can be very
useful for sewing in tight spots, but on the other hand does not offer the
support features of a flat bed machine.
- grain
- Noun: The line of weave in a woven fabric or the line of knit stitches
in a knit fabric. The grain that runs from selvage to selvage is
sometimes referred to as the crossgrain.
- horizontal bobbin
- Noun: A sewing-machine feature, also known as drop-in-bobbin,
in which the bobbin is placed horizontally into a receptacle in the bed of
the machine without a bobbin case. This generally provides faster and
easier bobbin insertion, and some users feel that it helps reduce bobbin
problems as well.
- knee control
- Noun: An alternative device used for controlling the sewing machine in
place of a foot pedal, often found with flat bed sewing machines installed
in sewing machine cabinets. It may alternatively control the raising and
lowering of the presser foot (with speed controlled by a foot pedal or a
knee control on the other side) to enable faster use of the machine. The
control is operated by pressing the knee sideways against a lever mounted
on the sewing machine cabinet.
- knife
- Noun: The part of a serger which cuts the edge of the fabric as it
passes through to the needle.
- knit fabric
- Noun: A fabric formed from a single continuous strand of yarn. The
knit process is basically a very complicated yet organized form of
knot.
- looper
- Noun: It's the thingie in the serger that carries the threads that
form the overlock part of the serger stitch. Usually there are two, upper
and lower. There may be a third which forms the lower part of the chain
stitch.
- mechanical sewing machine
- Noun: A sewing machine with no electronic or computerized parts. Some
would have you believe that electric motors are persona non grata as
well.
- nap
- Noun: That nice thing that you now can't figure out why you argued
with your parents about when you were a kid. Also, the quality of a fabric
by which it appears differently when viewed from different angles because
of the alignment of fibers which extend slightly from the surface, such as
in corduroy, velvet, or velour. This causes the requirement that all
pattern pieces must be aligned in the same direction on the fabric (none
may be reversed against the others) during layout for cutting, leading to
the existance of "with nap" layouts in the pattern instructions.
- negative ease
- Noun: Negative ease refers to the amount by which the pattern pieces
are smaller than the body which they are intended to fit. This is
ued for garments that are intended to stretch to fit the body, such as
swimsuits or undergarments.
- overcast
- Weather: A condition in which the sky is completely obscured by
clouds.
Verb: To make stitches which cause the threads to lock both in and over
the edge of the fabric, thus binding the raw edge(s) of the fabric to
protect against unraveling. This can be accomplished by zigzagging over
the edge of the fabric with an ordinary sewing machine or by using a
serger. (The stitches are very different using a serger, but the general
purpose is more or less the same.)
- overlock
- Verb: The server version of overcasting.
- pin
- Noun: A small thin metal object inserted through several layers of
fabric to secure them together.
Verb: To insert pins, hopefully into fabric.
- pintuck
- Noun: Believe it or not, it's a tuck put on purpose into
fabric. Pintucks are ideally very small (~1-2mm wide) and linear. Multiple
pintucks are put in, usually at regular intervals, to form a pattern of
ridges in the fabric. Pintucks can be made by making a very narrow tuck
and sewing through it or can be made automatically by sewing with a double
needle with heightened upper thread tension. Pintucks were an heirloom
method which was used to show off superior sewing skills, but now that
they can be made automatically, they're less common.
- presser foot
- Noun: The part of the sewing machine or serger that holds the fabric
against the throat plate. Many specialty presser feet are available to
perform extra functions.
- safety pin
- Noun: A kind of pin that has a closure to cover the sharp end so it
doesn't hurt anyone while closed.
- satin stitch
- seam
- seam allowance
- serger
- set in sleeve
- shaft
- shirt sleeve
- single thread chain stitch
- starch
- stay stitch
- stitch
- straight stitch machine
- sewing machine
- tailor's tack
- tension discs
- throat plate
- topstitch
- trapunto
- woven fabric
- understitch
- vertical bobbin
- zigzag
- zigzag machine
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