Sewing encyclopaedia

While sewing and working with needle and thread you will stumble across many sewing terms. We have summarized and explained the most important sewing terms for you.

Basics

Sewing machine: Here there are not only very big differences in only quality, but also in price. It is best to get advice from a specialist shop to find the right machine for your needs. For the beginning, the cheaper machines from the discounters are usually sufficient. In our shop you will also find a large selection of Selection sewing machines.

Sewing machine needles: These come in different sizes for different fabrics. Usually, when you buy a sewing machine, the needle and spare needle are already included. For special fabrics, like elastic fabrics and heavy fabrics like Jeans, you should get special-Needles ones that make sewing easier.

Sewing thread: is available Yarn in various colours and thicknesses. Usually standard yarns in your desired colour are sufficient. If you want to make a piece of sewing work, for example with very heavy fabrics, it is advisable to Yarn ask in the handicraft shop for suitable ones, so that your work does not break down later.

Fabric scissors & Rotary cutter: In any case, use fabric scissors and not paper cutting scissors. Fabric scissors are usually more expensive and sharper than paper scissors, and the material from Steel, which the fabric scissors are made suffers when you cut with Paper them. With rotary cutters, cutting is very easy. These helpers can also cut several layers of fabric without much effort. They are available Rotary cutter with different blade diameters for different sewing projects

Measuring tape, ruler, chalk: These Pattern aids are essential for measuring the fabrics and for transferring them. Tailor's chalks or marker pens as well as line-ex pens, where the lines disappear with time, are ideal for marking and transferring them to the Pattern fabric.

PatternBefore you start sewing, you should have one with Pattern instructions. The choice of fabric and the demand for fabrics and haberdashery are also based on this. These are available in books, as pattern to buy directly, but also already a lot as free pattern on the Internet. In our VBS Online Shop you will find many instructions with the appropriate template for free download

Sewing terms:

Right to right: The right side means the beautiful side of the fabric. For printed fabrics this is the side with the pattern on it. For plain coloured fabrics, simply choose the side you find more beautiful. This is then the right side. With right on right the pattern pieces are placed on top of each other with the right, beautiful side of the fabric so that the seam on the finished sewing piece is not visible on the outside later.

Links on links: Rarely fabric pieces are sewn together left to left. Here you put the pattern pieces on top of each other so that the right good sides of the fabric face outwards and can be seen when sewing.

Seam allowance: One speaks of a seam allowance when an additional distance from the cut edge to the actual seam is to be considered. Usually the seam allowance is 1 cm and at hems 3-4 cm. If you are talking about a "presser foot width", the cut edge is directly at the edge of the presser foot. The close-up allowance is then usually 0.7 cm and is the distance from the needle. The instructions should state whether a seam allowance is Pattern already included or whether you have to add it. You should cut the fabric pieces accordingly.

Broken fabric: Especially for front and back parts, the term "broken fabric" is often found on or in the Pattern manual. This is the term used when you are supposed to lay the pattern piece twice parallel to the threadline and selvage. In this way, you will obtain a complete piece of fabric without a centre seam from a half of it Pattern . To do this, place the half paper cut piece directly on the fabric break without adding a seam.

Threadline: The threadline refers to the fabric direction, which you have to observe when cutting the pattern pieces. A woven fabric consists of warp and weft threads. Warp threads are the threads that are stretched on the loom, weft threads are the threads that are pushed through. The thread runs parallel to the warp direction and the selvedge. It is important to take this into account, especially with garments and stretchy fabrics, as the fabric pulls and behaves differently depending on the thread run. On woven fabrics, the thread run always runs parallel to the selvedge, on knitted fabrics it runs along the stitch course. In general, it can be said that the fabrics are usually less stretchy along the threadline. Selvedge: This refers to the fixed edge of the fabric at the side. The selvedge always runs parallel to the threadline. Since this edge is usually stronger than the rest of the fabric, the cut pieces should not protrude into this area.

Prick the other side at the same height. Prick again a few millimeters next to your puncture site. The narrower the distance, the finer and more beautiful your seam will be. Pull the thread through, but do not tighten it yet.

Now repeat the process described above on the other side and further continue until you have created a seam of about two centimeters. Now tighten the thread and close the seam

further Continue with the above steps until the complete opening is closed

Finally, pull the thread back on and close the entire seam. Now secure the end of the thread by sewing a part backwards again. To do this, cut into your sewing project and cut out again after about 1 cm. Make a knot and repeat this procedure again. Finally, prick your sewing project once more and prick out again on the other edge. Cut the thread so that the end of the thread disappears in your sewing project.

Now nothing can stand in the way of your sewing project and you can start sewing great projects. As a beginner, we recommend that you start with simple projects to get familiar with your sewing machine. Practice makes perfect!

Discover beautiful simple sewing projects - perfect even for sewing beginners!