Terms & glossary

The single sample size, usually a small one, in which a garment is first produced for photography, fit sessions, and buyer showings.

The common abbreviation for 'small bust adjustment,' a pattern alteration used to reduce the amount of room built into a bodice pattern.

A trip or retreat taken specifically to sew, whether at an organized workshop or informally alongside a group of fellow sewists.

A playful blend of 'sewing' and 'social,' describing the wider online community of sewists who share their projects and connect across social media.

Short for 'stock keeping unit,' a unique code identifying one specific product variation, such as a particular size and color of a garment.

A pattern alteration method that involves cutting a pattern piece apart along marked lines and spreading the resulting pieces to add fullness or length.

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