Terms & glossary

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

Long, loose, temporary stitches, sewn by hand or machine, used to hold layers of fabric in place for fitting before permanent stitching.

Originally a term for custom tailoring made entirely to one individual customer's specifications, now used more loosely for any made-to-order garment.

An early, not-yet-finalized version of a sewing pattern sent out to testers for feedback before the pattern's official public release.

Any diagonal direction across a woven fabric that is not parallel or perpendicular to the grain, where the fabric has more give and stretch.

The measurement taken around the fullest part of the upper arm, used to check and adjust the fit of a sleeve pattern.

A nickname for the four long-established American pattern companies: Butterick, McCall's, Simplicity, and Vogue Patterns.

A basic pattern shape, drafted to fit a specific set of body measurements without seam allowances or design details, used as the foundation for other patterns; called a sloper in American usage.

The set of measurements taken directly from a person's body, such as bust, waist, and hip circumference, used to choose or draft a pattern size.

A large roll of fabric as sold in a shop, wound around a flat cardboard or plastic core and holding many yards of material.

A whitework embroidery technique featuring patterns of small cut-out holes stitched around their edges, often sold ready-made as a fabric or trim.