Terms & glossary

The historical occupational term, common through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, for a dressmaker who specialized in making women's gowns.

Clothing that was sewn by the wearer themselves, as distinct from clothing that was bought ready-made or store-bought.

A rough, quickly sewn test version of a garment or design, made to check fit or check a construction method before committing to the final fabric.

Short for 'minimum order quantity,' the smallest amount of fabric or finished product that a manufacturer or supplier is willing to sell in one order.

A French draping technique of shaping fabric directly on a body or dress form to create a closely fitted base pattern from scratch.

A pattern printed with several nested cutting lines for different sizes on the same sheet, letting a sewist choose or blend sizes as needed.