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A sew-in interfacing, traditionally a wool and hair blend, used in structured jacket construction to shape and support the chest and lapel through pad stitching.

A historical term for a woman who worked as a tailor, constructing structured, fitted garments such as suits, coats, and riding habits.

Stitching twill tape along a lapel's roll line to stabilize it and control the exact point and angle at which the lapel folds back.

A detailed technical document sent to a garment manufacturer specifying exact measurements, materials, construction steps, and trims needed for production.

Persistent skipped stitches across all needle types and tensions, especially after a hard jam or drop, points to hook timing out of sync with the needle. This needs professional service, not a home fix.

An early sewing machine shuttle mechanism that travels side to side beneath the needle plate, common in machines predating the rotary hook.

Corded or padded quilting technique in which a design is outlined through two fabric layers, then stuffed from the back so the motif stands out in high relief.

A long, belted coat traditionally made of water-resistant gabardine, featuring a double-breasted front, storm flaps, and epaulettes, derived from military rainwear.

A fine, run-resistant warp-knit fabric with lengthwise ribs on the face and crosswise ribs on the back, common in lingerie and linings.

The process of constructing a trouser pattern from waist, hip, crotch, and leg measurements, shaping the crotch curve, inseam, and outseam of the front and back leg pieces.

The pattern pieces and construction lines for a trouser's front closure, including the fly extension, fly shield, and zipper placement, added to the basic trouser front.

A draping technique in which fabric is positioned at a forty-five degree angle to the grainline before pinning, exploiting bias stretch to create soft, body-skimming folds.

A skirt fitted closely through the hip and thigh that flares abruptly near the knee, resembling the shape of a trumpet bell.

The often bias-cut, slightly smaller layer of a tailored collar that sits against the neck, allowing the upper collar to roll smoothly over it without show-through.

A layer of fabric cut from the same pattern pieces as the fashion fabric and attached to its wrong side before construction, adding body, opacity or support without showing.

A curved, rigid strip, usually plastic-coated metal, encased in fabric channels beneath the cups of a bra to provide structural lift and support.

A woven pile fabric with a dense, short, upright pile giving a soft hand and directional sheen; requires special handling to prevent shifting and crushing when sewn.

An early bobbin-holding mechanism that moves back and forth in a straight line to interlock the upper thread loop with a long bobbin's thread.

American inventor who built a working lockstitch sewing machine around 1834 but never patented it, later inventing the safety pin in 1849 among many other devices.

A film or fabric-like stabiliser that dissolves in water, used to support delicate or openwork stitching such as lace or cutwork until the stitching is complete.

An inset pocket with a narrow strip of fabric, the welt, standing up or lying flat over the opening on the outside of the garment.

Diagonal creases that fan out from the crotch area of close-fitting trousers, most visible in denim, indicating tightness or an insufficient crotch curve at that point.

The measurement taken across the back from wrist to wrist with both arms outstretched, occasionally used to check sleeve and shoulder width in a pattern.

The measurement taken from the neckline down to the point where a shoulder yoke seam sits on a shirt or dress pattern.

A pattern-design method that arranges garment pieces to use an entire fabric width with no offcuts discarded, a technique with historical roots in traditional garment shapes like the kimono and sari.

Rippling fabric along a zipper opening comes from stretching the fabric while sewing or using a zipper the wrong length for the opening. Stabilize the seam with interfacing tape and match zip length to the opening.