Terms & glossary

Sewing a garment under real time pressure so it will be ready for a specific event, often finishing the final stitches at the last minute.

The common abbreviation for 'full bust adjustment,' a pattern alteration frequently discussed by name in sewing forums and pattern instructions.

A hybrid pattern created by combining pieces or design elements from two or more different existing patterns into one new design.

Short for PatternReview.com, a long-running online community where sewists post detailed reviews of commercial and indie sewing patterns before others buy them.

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.

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.

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