All articles

A woven-thread repair for holes and thin worn patches, built by stitching a grid of threads across the gap and weaving a needle over and under them to recreate fabric. Common on socks and knitwear.

A small, often spring-loaded hoop-shaped presser foot used with the feed dogs dropped for free-motion stitching, darning, and thread sketching.

The process of moving a dart's point closer to or farther from the bust or hip apex to correct fit or match a design change.

A dart manipulation technique in which a pattern is pivoted around the dart apex to close an existing dart while a new dart opens automatically at another edge.

A dart that is stitched only partway to its point and released as soft fabric folds rather than pressed flat, adding gentle shaping with a softer silhouette than a standard dart.

Sewing a garment under real time pressure so it will be ready for a specific event, often finishing the final stitches at the last minute.

Surplus fabric left over from fashion industry production runs and resold in limited quantities rather than being sent to landfill.

A hip-length jacket made of denim, typically featuring a button front, chest pockets with flaps, and a fitted waistband, derived from workwear.

A sewing machine needle with a strong, slim, sharp point designed to penetrate tightly woven heavy fabrics such as denim and canvas without deflecting.

Extra room added into a pattern beyond the minimum wearing ease, chosen purely to create a looser, more relaxed silhouette in the finished garment.

A sleeve cut as an extension of the garment's bodice, with a deep armhole that tapers to a narrow wrist, producing a draped, batwing-like shape.

A firm, stable knit fabric produced on a machine with two sets of needles, identical on both faces, holding its shape well and resisting curling at cut edges.

A dart pointed at both ends and widest in the middle, used to shape a fitted garment at the waist where no horizontal seam exists.

The way a fabric falls, folds and moves under its own weight, ranging from fluid, as in chiffon and jersey, to stiff, as in canvas and taffeta; a key factor in pattern choice.

A collared, button-front shirt intended for formal or business wear, typically featuring a fitted body, cuffs, and a placket front.

Applique scissors with one wide, flat, blunt-tipped blade that slides beneath the top fabric layer to trim it without cutting the layer below.

A hooded, loose-fitting coat closed with rope-and-toggle fastenings looped through leather or fabric tabs, originally worn by naval crews.

Crisp, lustrous silk woven from irregular, slubbed yarn, producing a fabric with a slight sheen and characteristic texture, popular for structured garments and eveningwear.

A long, lightweight coat cut loosely for ease of movement, traditionally worn over clothing to protect it from dust and weather.

Large envelope-style fabric cover for a duvet, closed with buttons, ties, or a zipper along one edge, sized to fit standard bedding dimensions.