This is an ABC guide to sewing terms that are frequently used in directions for sewing garments and craft items. The more terms you understand, the easier your sewing projects will be.   Please take a few mintues to read these terms and see how "sewing literate" you are.

A - Adjustment - minor change made directly on the pattern tissue prior to cutting fabric.  Many patterns have adjustment lines printed on them for lengthening and shortening.

B - Baste - a temporary method of holding two or more layers of fabric together by sewing with long stitches.

C - Casing - a closed tunnel of fabric that encases elastic or a drawstring.

D - Dart - a stitched fold that tapers from a seam to a point in the body of the fabric, used to create shape and control fullness.

E - Embroidery - decorative designs fromed by machine or hand needlework.

F - Facing - a piece of fabric used to finish raw edges, particularly at garment openings such as armholes, necklines, and front and back openings.

G - Grain - the direction in which the threads that make up the fabric run.

H - Hem - the raw edge of any fabric, but usually of a garment, turned back to the wrong side and stitched down.

L - Lining - a soft, lightweight fabric used to cover inside construction details while giving the garment a smooth, custom-made look.

M - Marking - the transfer of significant construction symbols and lines from the paper pattern to the fabric.  Common marking methods include:  tracing wheel with dressmaker's carbon paper, tailor's chalk, tailor's tacks, thread tracing, and disappearing ink pens.

N - Notion - all the items, other than the fabric and pattern needed to complete a sewing project. (Buttons, zipper, trim, etc.)

O - Overcast Stitch - an overcast stitch is used to finish raw edges and prevent raveling.

P - Pleat - fold of fabric that provides controlled fullness.  Pleats may be partially stitched or pressed down.

Q - Quilting - to stitch through two or more layers of fabric, including a layer of light padding, to creat a design.

R - Raw Edge - any unfinished edge.

S - Seam - the basic structural element of all garments, formed by joining two or more layers of fabric together with a straight machine stitch.

T - Trim - decorative and functional notions added to a garment for decoration or to finish the inside of a garment.

Z - Zipper - a fastener made of two rows of metal or plastic teeth that are joined to fabric tapes, and a sliding "pull" that interlocks the rows.

You now have a basic knowledge of terms used in sewing and crafts construction.  The most important thing is to take you time and have fun.

Happy Sewing!