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Using an iron with an up-and-down motion, rather than sliding, to set seams, creases and shape during construction, done at each stage rather than only at the end.

A layer of fabric placed between the iron and the garment to protect delicate materials from direct heat, shine, and scorch marks.

Pressing both seam allowances flat in opposite directions from the stitching line, reducing bulk and producing a smooth, flat seam.

Pressing both seam allowances together in the same direction, adding strength and often required before edge-stitching or topstitching.

A shiny, flattened patch on fabric after ironing comes from too much heat and pressure crushing the fibers, common on wool and synthetics. Press with a pressing cloth and let steam, not pressure, do the work.

A seam that gathers or ripples along its length is caused by tension set too tight, a stitch length wrong for the fabric, or sewing fine fabric without stabilizing. Loosen tension and stabilize lightweight fabrics.

A presser foot with a guide or foot width measured exactly a quarter inch from the needle, used to achieve accurate patchwork seam allowances.

Three-layer assembly of a quilt top, batting, and backing fabric, basted or pinned together before quilting stitches pass through all layers to hold them in place.

A sleeve that extends in one piece to the neckline, joined to the body with diagonal seams running from underarm to collar instead of a set-in armhole seam.

Seam allowances unraveling into loose threads after the first wash mean the edges weren't finished before construction. Serge, zigzag, pink, or bind raw edges before or after sewing the seam.

Clothing manufactured in standard sizes for immediate purchase, as opposed to custom-made garments; it grew from 19th-century military uniform production and expanded rapidly with department stores in the 20th century.

A missing button needs a replacement sewn on with a thread shank matching the fabric's thickness, so it sits without pulling the buttonhole tight. Match hole spacing to the buttonhole and reinforce with extra thread passes.

Soft, lightweight square blanket, usually made from flannel, cotton, or knit fabric with finished or bound edges, used for swaddling and wrapping infants.

A leftover end-of-bolt piece of fabric, usually smaller and sold at a discount compared to fabric cut fresh from a full bolt.

A control that, when engaged, reverses the feed dog direction so the machine sews backward, commonly used to lock stitches at the start and end of a seam.

A stretchy tubular or flat rib-knit trim fabric used to finish cuffs, waistbands and necklines on knitwear, chosen for high recovery.

A stretchy knit structure of alternating vertical knit and purl columns, giving strong widthwise recovery; used for cuffs, neckbands and waistbands.

A narrow woven or knitted band of fabric, in materials from grosgrain to satin, used decoratively or functionally for trims, ties and closures.

A flat, zigzag-woven braid trim stitched to the surface of fabric as a decorative edging, traditionally in cotton.

The finished, face side of a piece of fabric that is meant to show on the outside of a finished garment.

The face of a fabric intended to show on the finished garment versus its reverse, distinguished by print, sheen or knit structure and marked before cutting to avoid mismatched pieces.

Positioning two layers of fabric so their finished, face sides touch each other, leaving the wrong sides visible, before stitching a seam.

A one-piece garment combining a top and shorts, typically fastened with snaps at the crotch for ease of diaper changing on infants.

A round, razor-sharp blade mounted in a handle, rolled along a straightedge to cut fabric, especially multiple layers for quilting and garment pieces.

Practices for handling a rotary cutter safely, including closing the blade guard between cuts, cutting away from the body, and keeping fingers clear of the blade path.

Short for 'ready-to-wear,' mass-produced clothing manufactured in standard sizes and sold off the rack, as opposed to custom-made or handmade garments.

Strip of fabric gathered or pleated along one edge and stitched to a garment or home-sewing project to add fullness and decorative movement at hems, necklines, or edges.

A simple, evenly spaced hand stitch made by weaving the needle in and out of the fabric in a straight line, used for basting, gathering, or light seaming.

An unstitched length of fabric, typically five to nine meters, draped and wrapped around the body in various regional styles across South Asia, worn with a fitted blouse and underskirt.

Cotton fabric woven in a satin weave, giving a smooth, lustrous face similar to satin but with cotton's matte hand and durability, used for linings and bedding.

A street in London's Mayfair district associated since the early 19th century with bespoke tailoring, home to long-established tailoring houses that hand-cut and construct made-to-measure suits.

Standardized clothing required by an educational institution, typically produced to fixed specifications for fabric, color, and construction.

A rounded neckline cut in a wide, U-shaped curve that dips below the collarbone at the front.

A brown or yellow mark burned into fabric comes from an iron too hot for the fiber, or leaving it in one spot too long. Test heat on a scrap first and keep the iron moving.

Sewing small projects specifically designed to use up leftover fabric scraps that are too small to cut a full garment from.

Patchwork technique that pieces together leftover fabric scraps of varying size and print into a usable quilt top, a common way to use up sewing offcuts.

The strip of fabric lying between the stitching line and the raw cut edge, commonly five eighths of an inch or one and a half centimeters.

Any treatment applied to a raw seam allowance edge, such as overlocking, pinking, or zigzagging, to keep the fabric from fraying over time.

A short sliding ruler with a movable marker used to measure and mark consistent small distances such as hem depths and seam allowances.

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.