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A silhouette in which the waist seam of a dress sits at or below the hip rather than the natural waistline, characteristic of the loose, boyish flapper styles of the 1920s.

A skirt cut as a full or partial circle of fabric so it falls in even flares from the waist, popularized with fitted bodices in the New Look-influenced fashions of the 1950s.

A dress fitted through the bodice that flares gradually from the waist or bust to the hem, forming a silhouette resembling the letter A.

A skirt fitted at the waist that flares gradually outward toward the hem, forming a silhouette resembling the letter A.

A skirt draft in which the waist darts of a basic skirt block are rotated or the side seams are angled outward to create a gently flared silhouette from waist to hem.

A version of a PDF sewing pattern formatted to print as a single large sheet at a copy shop, sized to the international A0 paper standard.

A semi-synthetic fibre made from cellulose acetate, offering silk-like sheen and drape at low cost but weak wet strength and low heat tolerance; common in lining fabric.

A smooth, lightweight lining fabric made from acetate fibre, offering silk-like sheen and drape at low cost but requiring low-heat pressing.

A synthetic fibre engineered to mimic wool's warmth and softness at lower cost, lightweight but prone to pilling and heat sensitivity.

Clothing engineered for exercise and sport, typically constructed from moisture-wicking, four-way stretch synthetic knit fabrics with flatlock seaming.

Garments modified or designed with alternative closures, openings, or seams to make dressing easier for people with disabilities, limited mobility, or sensory sensitivities.

Extra fabric volume built into a pattern beyond the minimum needed for fit, achieved through techniques such as slash-and-spread, gathering, or pleating, to create a design's intended shape.

A dress form with dial-controlled sections that can be resized to approximate a range of body measurements for fitting multiple sizes on one form.

A waistband too loose or tight is altered by taking in or letting out the side seams, adding elastic panels, or moving buttons and hooks. Check the fix doesn't distort the closure or shape.

British designer and Savile Row-trained tailor known for dramatic, technically complex runway shows and precise tailoring, who led his own label from 1992 and Givenchy from 1996 to 2001.

A soft, warm animal-hair fibre from alpacas, lighter and often warmer than wool with minimal lanolin, used in coating and knitwear.

A very fine, fluffy animal-hair fibre from Angora rabbits, prized for softness and warmth but weak alone, usually blended with wool or nylon.

Cotton fabric with bold, wax-resist-dyed patterns, industrially produced in Europe from the 19th century in imitation of Indonesian batik and adopted as a distinctive West African fashion textile.

A pullover or zip-front hooded jacket, often with a drawstring hood and hem, designed for wind and water resistance.

A sewing machine, typically hand-crank or treadle powered, manufactured in the 19th or early 20th century, often collected and restored for its mechanical craftsmanship.

A Vietnamese national dress consisting of a long, fitted tunic with side slits worn over loose trousers, developed in its modern form during the 1930s from earlier court dress.

A machine embroidery technique combining a placement stitch, a fabric piece, and tack-down and cover stitches to attach and finish a fabric applique.

An open-toe presser foot offering a clear view of the needle and stitch line, used for satin stitching and detailed applique work.

Protective garment tied at the waist or neck, covering the front of the body while cooking or crafting, and a traditional first sewing project.

The distance from the shoulder point to the wrist bone, taken with the elbow slightly bent, used to set sleeve length on a pattern draft.

Stitching stay tape around an armhole seam in a tailored jacket to prevent the armhole from stretching during construction and wear.

French for 'workshop,' used in the fashion world to describe the studio space where a designer's garments are actually made, especially at couture houses.

Small garment tied or snapped around an infant's neck to protect clothing while feeding, typically made with absorbent or wipeable fabric and a curved neckline.

The portion of a bodice draft that shapes the back torso pattern, incorporating the shoulder blade dart or ease, waist shaping, and armhole curve calculated from back body measurements.

The vertical distance from the prominent bone at the base of the neck to the natural waistline, used to check and adjust bodice length on a pattern.

Padded, adjustable shoulder straps constructed with webbing and sliders, engineered to distribute a backpack's weight and attach securely to its body at multiple points.

A strong hand stitch made by inserting the needle behind the previous stitch's end, producing a solid, continuous line similar to machine stitching.

Reversing the machine over the first and last few stitches of a seam to lock the thread ends so the seam will not unravel.

Rigid or semi-rigid panel, of plastic canvas, cardboard, or heavy interfacing, inserted into the bottom of a bag to help it hold its shape and stand upright.

Metal or plastic fittings such as D-rings, swivel clips, rivets, and sliders used to attach straps, close flaps, and reinforce stress points on bags.

Fabric or webbing band attached to a bag to allow it to be carried by hand or over the shoulder, constructed as a folded tube, topstitched strip, or webbing length.

A technique for constructing and turning a fully lined garment, such as a jacket, right side out through a small opening so all raw edges end up enclosed.

The state of a garment hanging evenly on the body with its seams and grainlines running true, without twisting toward the front, back, or one side.

Marks placed on pattern pieces to indicate where two edges of different lengths, such as a sleeve cap and armhole, should align during construction so ease is distributed correctly.

A sewing machine needle with a rounded tip designed to slide between the loops of knit fabric rather than piercing and breaking the yarns.