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A finished slit at the sleeve hem, often on tailored jacket cuffs, that may be functional with real buttonholes or purely decorative.

A minimalist, bias-cut dress with thin straps and a simple silhouette, modeled on undergarment slips and typically made from lightweight fabric.

A nearly invisible hand stitch that catches a few threads of the garment fabric and slides through the folded edge of a hem or lining.

Satin or silk sliding apart mid-seam despite pinning is caused by low surface friction between layers. Use fine silk pins or clips, hand-baste critical seams, and sew slowly with a walking foot.

A pattern alteration that lowers the shoulder point of a bodice pattern to fit shoulders more angled downward than the standard block assumes.

A shoulder shape more angled downward than the standard pattern block assumes, causing diagonal drag lines from the neckline to the shoulder point and a gaping armhole.

A decorative seam in which two folded edges are spaced apart over a separate strip of fabric and topstitched on both sides, creating a centered inset panel.

A movement advocating fewer, higher-quality, and more thoughtfully made garments over disposable trend-driven clothing, emphasizing durability, ethical labor, and reduced environmental impact; the term was coined around 2007.

A pattern alteration that removes width and length from the bust area of a bodice, typically by overlapping the pattern, to fit a bust smaller than the block assumes.

A supportive undergarment designed to minimize breast movement during physical activity, constructed from stretch fabric with reinforced encapsulation or compression panels.

A pattern alteration that raises and extends the shoulder line of a bodice pattern outward to fit shoulders flatter than the standard block assumes.

A shoulder shape flatter and less sloped than the standard pattern block assumes, causing wrinkles to radiate from the neck and excess fabric to pool near the shoulder tip.

A temporary or permanent backing placed under fabric during machine embroidery or stitching to prevent puckering, stretching or distortion from the needle and thread tension.

A fabric's resistance to distortion or stretching out of shape during handling, cutting and sewing, often improved with interfacing or stay tape on loosely woven or stretch fabrics.

A backing material, in tear-away, cut-away, or wash-away form, placed under fabric to support it against the pull and density of embroidery stitching.

A generalized set of body measurements assigned to numbered sizes by a particular pattern company, which can vary noticeably from one brand to another.

A narrow tape of twill, selvage, or fusible material stitched or fused along a seam or edge, such as a shoulder seam or neckline, to prevent stretching.

Applying moist heat to fabric to relax fibres, remove wrinkles, shrink fibres slightly, or set pleats and pressed seams without direct iron contact.

A sewing machine needle with a specially shaped eye and scarf designed to prevent skipped stitches in highly elastic fabrics such as spandex blends.

A measure of how far a knit or stretch-woven fabric extends compared to its resting length, used to check a fabric against a pattern's required stretch and recovery.

A seam or design line on a pattern that also performs a shaping function, such as a princess seam that both fits and decorates.

A posture characterized by an exaggerated inward curve of the lower spine, causing horizontal folds of excess fabric to form across the back of a garment at the waist.

A pattern alteration that removes excess length and width from the center back of a bodice or dress pattern to eliminate horizontal folds caused by a swayed back posture.

A general term for knit fabrics that mimic hand- or machine-knitted sweater texture, ranging from fine gauge to chunky, often loosely constructed and prone to runs.

A neckline shaped like the top curves of a heart, dipping to a center point between two rounded curves over the bust.