Terms & glossary

The measurement taken from the base of the neck down through the crotch, used especially to fit bodysuits, leotards, and swimwear correctly.

The exact forty-five degree diagonal line between the lengthwise and crosswise grain, the direction where a woven fabric stretches the most.

A small stitched fold of fabric, similar to a pleat but generally narrower, used mainly for decorative effect or subtle shaping.

The industry practice of labeling ready-to-wear garments with smaller size numbers than their actual measurements would traditionally indicate, to flatter shoppers.

A structured wardrobe-planning approach, popularized by a well-known online course, for building a cohesive handmade wardrobe around a person's real needs and style.

The lengthwise threads held taut on a loom during weaving, running parallel to the selvedge in a piece of woven fabric.

A fit-testing garment that was expected to be purely disposable but turns out well enough that the sewist actually wears it afterward.

The minimum extra room built into a pattern beyond a person's exact body measurements, needed so a finished garment can be put on and moved in comfortably.

The crosswise threads woven over and under the warp threads to construct a woven fabric, also known as the fill or the woof.

Selling garments or fabric in bulk quantities to retailers at a reduced price, rather than selling individual pieces directly to consumers.

Positioning two layers of fabric so their unfinished, wrong sides touch each other, leaving the right sides visible, as used for some enclosed seams.