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German pattern and fashion magazine founded by Aenne Burda in 1950, distinctive for printing many patterns overlapping on shared sheets; it expanded into an international sewing brand and website.

Construction technique for enclosing a shoulder or yoke seam by rolling the garment body between the yoke layers before stitching, so the seam turns right side out fully finished.

The horizontal circumference of the torso taken around the fullest part of the bust, used as a primary reference point for bodice and dress pattern sizing.

A fitted, often boned bodice-length undergarment or top that shapes the torso from bust to waist, typically worn without a separate bra.

A framework or padding worn under a skirt to add fullness and projection at the back, fashionable in two main phases during the 1870s and again in the mid-1880s.

One of the oldest home sewing pattern companies, founded in Massachusetts in 1863; it published patterns and the fashion magazine The Delineator, shaping American home dressmaking for over a century.

A disc or shaped fastener sewn to one side of an opening and passed through a buttonhole or loop on the other side to close a garment.

A collared shirt closing at center front with a full button placket, traditionally structured with a yoke, cuffs, and sleeve plackets.

A reinforced slit or bound opening in fabric sized to admit a button, finished by machine zigzag stitching, a bound technique, or hand stitching.

A presser foot, often with a sliding or automatic template, that guides the machine through the multiple stitch passes needed to form a buttonhole.

Threads pulling loose around a cut buttonhole usually means the stitching was too loose, the fabric wasn't stabilized, or it was cut open before sewing finished. Interface the area and cut open last with sharp scissors.

A dedicated industrial machine that automatically cuts and stitches buttonholes at high speed with consistent quality for mass garment production.

Small scissors, sometimes with an adjustable screw stop, designed specifically to cut open the center of a stitched buttonhole without overcutting.

A narrow, dense zigzag stitch sewn in a rectangular path with bar tacks at each end to create a reinforced opening for a button.

A buttonhole that won't let the button through without straining the fabric usually means it was sized to the button's diameter instead of its circumference. Measure the button's girth and test on scrap before cutting.

A plain-woven, often printed cotton cloth named for Calicut, India, imported to Europe from the 17th century and later mass-produced during the Industrial Revolution for everyday clothing.

A sleeveless, close-fitting undergarment or layering top with thin straps, traditionally cut on the bias and finished with lace trim.

A short-sleeved, collared shirt with a straight hem worn untucked, featuring a notched camp collar with no top button or stand.

A heavy, plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric prized for durability and stiffness, used for bags, workwear and structural garment interfacing.

A jacket-making method in which a layer of horsehair or wool canvas is hand- or machine-stitched inside the front panels to shape the chest, distinct from cheaper fused interfacing.

A short sleeve that covers only the top of the shoulder without extending down the arm, often cut with little or no underarm seam.

A sleeveless outer garment that hangs from the shoulders and drapes over the arms, fastened at the neck or front.

A short, unfitted sleeve cut as a small flounce or drape over the shoulder, resembling a miniature cape rather than a fitted tube.

Fitted trousers cut to end between the knee and ankle, traditionally slightly tapered and associated with mid-20th-century casualwear.

Trousers featuring large patch pockets, typically with flaps and pleats, applied to the sides of the legs in addition to standard pockets.

A large patch pocket, often with box pleats and a flap closure, applied to the outside of trousers or jackets for extra capacity.

A luxury animal-hair fibre combed from the undercoat of cashmere goats, softer and lighter than sheep's wool but less durable, used in fine knitwear.

A hand stitch worked with small, criss-crossed stitches between two fabric layers, used to secure hems and facings while allowing flexibility.

A hem secured with a catch stitch worked loosely between the hem edge and the garment, allowing some give and a flat finish from the right side.

A hand stitch worked in a loose zigzag pattern, catching only a thread or two of the outer fabric, commonly used to secure a hem invisibly.

The abbreviation marked on pattern pieces and fabric for the center back, the vertical line running down the exact middle of the back of a garment.

A zipper insertion with the teeth centered under an opening and two even rows of topstitching visible on either side, often used at center back.

The abbreviation marked on pattern pieces and fabric for the center front, the vertical line running down the exact middle of the front of a garment.

A looped stitch formed by a single needle thread interlocking with a looper thread in a chain-like pattern beneath the fabric, used alone or alongside cover stitching.

A stitch formed by looping thread through a previous loop in a continuous chain; quick to sew but prone to unraveling if pulled from the end, it was used in early sewing machines.

A lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric with a coloured warp and white weft yarn, giving a denim-like appearance without the weight; used for shirts.

English-born designer working in Paris, widely regarded as the father of haute couture; he founded the House of Worth in 1858 and was the first designer to label garments and show seasonal collections.

A tailored overcoat with a velvet collar, concealed button closure, and minimal waist shaping, originating in 19th-century English menswear.

A sheer, lightweight plain-weave fabric made from tightly twisted crepe yarns, giving it a slightly rough, airy hand; slippery and prone to fraying when sewn.

Clothing designed and graded for infants and children, typically featuring simplified construction, growth allowances, and safety-focused hardware.