Terms & glossary

The process by which sewists outside a designer's own team sew a new pattern before its release, checking fit, instructions, and grading across sizes.

The raised loops or cut fiber ends standing up from a fabric's woven base, as seen in velvet, corduroy, and terry cloth.

Short for PatternReview.com, a long-running online community where sewists post detailed reviews of commercial and indie sewing patterns before others buy them.

French for 'ready to wear,' describing standard-sized clothing manufactured for general sale rather than garments custom fitted to one person.