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A back width broader than the standard pattern block assumes, causing the back pattern piece to feel tight across the shoulder blades and restrict arm movement.

Trousers cut with a generous, uniform width from hip to hem, producing a straight silhouette that does not taper toward the ankle.

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.

Short for 'work in progress,' a sewing project currently being made, often photographed and shared on social media before it is finished.

An animal protein fibre from sheep's fleece with natural crimp and elasticity, providing warmth and moisture-wicking; ranges from fine merino to coarse tweed wool.

The processing of sheep's fleece into yarn and cloth was a foundation of medieval and early modern European economies, particularly in England and Flanders, before mechanization in the Industrial Revolution.

Interfacing constructed with lengthwise and crosswise threads like conventional fabric, cut on grain to match the garment fabric and provide stable, non-stretch support.

A dress with a front closure formed by wrapping one side of the bodice over the other and tying at the waist, requiring no zipper or buttons.

A skirt made from a single overlapping panel of fabric that wraps around the body and fastens at the waist with ties, buttons, or a buckle.

The circumference of the wrist, used to size cuffs and determine the ease needed for a sleeve opening or long-sleeve hem to slide over the hand.

Snagged knits, popped threads on wovens, or skipped stitches on stretch fabric often trace to a sharp needle on knits or a ballpoint on wovens. Match needle type to fabric: ballpoint for knits, sharp for wovens.

The reverse, less finished side of a piece of fabric that is meant to face inward and stay hidden from view.

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

The total amount of fabric, measured in yards or meters, that a project requires or that a particular piece of fabric contains.

White fabric developing a dingy yellow cast after long storage comes from oxidation, residual body oils, or trapped moisture in fold lines. Soak in oxygen bleach and store clean whites with acid-free tissue, not plastic.

Close-fitting, high-rise leggings made from stretch knit fabric, designed to move with the body during exercise while remaining opaque under stretch.

A shaped panel, usually at the shoulders or hip, that fits closely to the body and to which fuller sections of fabric are attached below or beyond it.

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

The process of separating a design line, such as a shoulder or back panel, from a bodice block to create a yoke pattern piece, often absorbing dart shaping into its seam.

French designer who succeeded Christian Dior in 1957 at age 21, later founding his own house in 1961 and introducing garments such as Le Smoking, a tuxedo suit for women, in 1966.

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.

A raw-edge finish made by stitching a zigzag stitch along the edge of each seam allowance to prevent fraying on a standard sewing machine.

A stitch that swings side to side as it forms, used for finishing raw edges, sewing stretch fabrics, and decorative topstitching.

A mechanical fastener of two rows of teeth or coils drawn together by a sliding pull, used to close openings in garments and bags.

A garment closure of interlocking teeth drawn together by a sliding tab; Gideon Sundback patented a reliable version in 1913, and fashion designers popularized it on clothing in the 1930s.

Small flat or boxed bag closed with a zipper across the top opening, commonly used to store cosmetics, notions, or small accessories.

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.

A narrow presser foot with a single side toe that allows the needle to stitch close alongside a zipper's teeth or other raised trim.

An exaggerated men's suit with broad padded shoulders and high-waisted, tapered trousers, popular among Black and Mexican American communities in the 1930s-40s and controversial for its wartime fabric use.