Beginner Sewing Terms
Bias Tape- A narrow strip of fabric cut typically cut at a diagonal that is the folded and pressed with its edges in the center of the strip. This is often used to finish edges or for decoration.
Edge Stitch- Often a decorative straight stitch that is stitched on top of the fabric right next to a seam line or the edge of the fabric.
Top Stitch- Usually a decorative stitch that is stitched on the right side or front or the fabric and will be seen on the final project.
Press- (or ironing) Using a hot iron to flatten out seams or wrinkles from fabric.
Backstitch- Using the reverse button on our machine you can create a backstitch. This will reverse the stitches you just made stitching back on top of the previous stitched stitches. Doing this at the start or end of a seam or stitch line will locked the stitches in knotting them or keeping them from unraveling.
Turn- Flipping your fabric inside out, often from wrong side to right side.
Right Side- The right side is referring to your fabric, or as I like to say the ‘Pretty Side’ of the fabric. This is the side of the fabric you want to be shown on the outside of your project. With printed fabrics you can often see one side will be a brighter ‘prettier’ side and the other is faded and uglier.
Wrong Side- Just like the right side the wrong side is referring to the opposite side. It’s the side you want hidden on the inside. It is usually the more faded side. Not all fabrics have a right and wrong side. Many solids are like this and you can pick either side to be your right and wrong.
Box Pleat- A straight stitch across the bottom a corner that creates a box shape when flipped.
Basting- A straight stitch used for temporary purposes. When Basting you create bigger stitches so that they can be removed easily but also hold the pieces needed in place for the moment.
Stay Stitch- A Stitch on a flat single piece of fabric often around the edges to help hold in place and prevent stretching.
Clipping- Trimming your seam allowance so that when you flip or turn something it lays flatter, better or doesn’t pull.
Seam- The joining of two or more fabrics together by stitching.
Seam Allowance- The distance between the edge of the fabric and the seam stitch line.
Grain line- This is a line drawn on all professional patterns that helps you line up your pattern with the fabric. Especially with patterned fabrics lining up the grain line will keep the pattern straight on your project.
Selvage Edge- The tightly woven edge along the sides of the fabric. Often white or has words written on it. This is a finished edge of the fabric that won’t unravel.
Raw Edge- The cut edge of the fabric that can unravel and fray.
