Terms & glossary

The line printed or drafted on a pattern piece marking precisely where the stitching should go, set in from the cutting line by the seam allowance.

A table listing body measurements matched against pattern sizes, used by a sewist to decide which size to cut for the best fit.

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

The American term for a basic, made-to-fit pattern with no seam allowances or style lines, used as a foundation when drafting new pattern designs; called a block in British usage.

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