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A Beginner's Sewing Glossary

Sewing has its own language. As a beginner, it can feel like you've just entered a new world filled with unfamiliar terms and confusing symbols. You start interpreting patterns and following tutorials that promise to be "Beginner" level... but somehow, they feel more like a Level 3 boss fight. Wait a minute—did I miss something? Did you get a glossary in your inventory that I didn’t? Oh, you did? Alright, that explains it. No worries—I’m here to help! Welcome to A Beginner’s Sewing Glossary: Your Quest to Conquer the Craft.



Basic Sewing Terms


  1. Armscye - The opening where a sleeve is attached to a garment.

  2. Backstitch - Sewing backward and forward to secure the seam's ends and prevent unraveling.

  3. Bar Tack - Reinforcing stitches in stress-prone areas like pockets or buttonholes.

  4. Baste - Temporary long stitches to hold fabric in place.

  5. Bias - The diagonal direction of fabric, offering stretch and drape.

  6. Bias Tape - Strips of fabric cut on the bias for binding or decoration.

  7. Buttonhole - A reinforced slit for a button.

  8. Casing - A fabric tunnel for elastic or cords, often in waistbands.

  9. Clipping Corners - Trimming fabric corners to reduce bulk.

  10. Darts - A fold that comes to a point to make a garment fit better.

  11. Ease - Extra space in a garment for comfort or movement.

  12. Edgestitch - A stitch close to the fabric edge for reinforcement and a neat look.

  13. Facing - Fabric sewn inside edges for a clean, finished look. Facings are often used for necklines, armholes, or garment openings.

  14. French Seam - Enclosing raw edges in a double seam for a clean finish.

  15. Fusible Interfacing - Adhesive fabric bonded with heat to add structure.

  16. Gather - Bunching fabric with long stitches to add fullness.

  17. Grade - Trimming seam allowances to different widths to reduce bulk.

  18. Grain - The fabric's thread direction, either lengthwise (warp) or crosswise (weft).

  19. Grainline - A pattern line indicating how the pattern should be aligned with the fabric’s grain for proper drape and fit.

  20. Hem - A folded and sewn fabric edge to prevent fraying.

  21. Lining - An inner fabric layer that covers seams, adds comfort, durability, and sometimes insulation.

  22. Notch - Small marks for aligning fabric pieces during sewing.

  23. Notions - Essential sewing tools and materials, including needles, thread, pins, and decorative elements like buttons or zippers.

  24. Piping - A narrow strip of fabric, often with a cord inside, used to trim or embellish seams.

  25. Pleat - A fabric fold sewn in place for fullness or design.

  26. Press Cloth - Fabric used to protect garments during ironing.

  27. Quilting - Stitching two fabric layers together with filling in a repeating pattern.

  28. Raw Edge - The unfinished, cut edge of fabric that is prone to fraying (depending on the fabric).

  29. Seam - A line where two fabric pieces are sewn together.

  30. Seam Allowance - The space between the fabric edge and the seam line.

  31. Seam Finish - Techniques to prevent fraying, like zigzag stitching.

  32. Selvage - The factory-finished edge of fabric that runs along its length and resists fraying.

  33. Shirring - Rows of gathering stitches, often with elastic, for stretch.

  34. Stay Stitch - A line of stitches sewn inside the seam allowance to prevent fabric stretching or distortion during construction, commonly used on curved or bias edges.

  35. Stitch in the Ditch - A technique where stitches are sewn directly into the seam line to secure layers without visible topstitching.

  36. Stretch Percentage - Fabric's stretch relative to its original size.

  37. Thread Tension - The balance between sewing machine threads for smooth stitches. Proper tension ensures even, smooth stitches.

  38. Toile - A practice garment made from inexpensive fabric to test fit and design.

  39. Topstitch - Decorative or reinforcing stitches close to seams.

  40. Under Stitch - Stitches to keep lining or facing from rolling outward and showing on the garment’s exterior.

  41. Walking Foot - A sewing machine attachment that moves the fabric from the top while the feed dogs move it from the bottom, ensuring even feeding. It’s ideal for sewing multiple layers or difficult fabrics.

  42. Warp/Weft - Warp is the lengthwise fabric thread (run parallel to the selvage); weft runs crosswise (woven over and under the warp).

  43. Zigzag Stitch - A back-and-forth stitch for finishing edges or stretch seams.

  44. Zipper Foot - A narrow foot for stitching close to zippers or piping.



Sewing Machine Parts


  1. Bobbin - A small spool of thread in the sewing machine's lower section that works with the upper thread to create stitches.

  2. Feed Dog - Metal ridges that move fabric forward while sewing.

  3. Foot Pedal - A pedal that controls sewing speed and starts or stops the machine, freeing your hands to guide the fabric.

  4. Hand Wheel - A wheel that adjusts the needle height manually.

  5. Presser Foot - A part of a sewing machine that holds the fabric in place while you sew.

  6. Spool Pin - A spool pin is a small dowel on a sewing machine designed to hold the spool of thread in place. It ensures the thread stays secure while being smoothly fed through the machine during sewing.

  7. Thread Cutter - A small, sharp blade located on the side of a sewing machine, used for cutting thread. It may be built into the machine or added as an accessory for convenience.

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