The grainline corresponds to the direction the fabric is woven. This direction has to be considered when cutting garment pieces, otherwise you might experience distorsion or a difference in the aspect when comparing two pieces. Every pattern piece shows an arrow that you have to…

When you fix interfacing to the inside of certain pieces it will make them more rigid and they will hold their shape better. Today you can buy fusible interlining (iron-on vlieseline for instance) which can be fixed by ironing it onto the wrong side of…

Jersey refers to different kinds of knitted fabrics. They are “knitted” as opposed to woven fabrics. Among knitted fabrics, jersey is easily identifiable: the stitch used does not look the same on the right side and on the wrong side. Jersey can be stretched in…

A kimono sleeve is cut in a single, same piece with the body of the garment. There is no armhole seam. A kimono sleeve must not be confused with a raglan sleeve, which has seams, but not placed on the shoulder like a usual sleeve.

There are several parts to many collars (collar band, upper and under collar). Some collars, such as notched lapel collars and shawl collars, also have a lapel: the lapel is the part that turns itself over on the bust, along the roll line, when the…

Notches are marked on the pattern pieces, in the seam allowance. They have to be transferred onto the fabric, then opened with scissors (without cutting the future seam line!). Notches help for the assembly of two fabric pieces: you must place the notches face to…

Indicates the way the fabric has to be cut: it must be folded in half before you place the pattern piece edge along the fold. You have to cut both layers at once, to obtain a symetrical fabric piece (the fold line is the axis…

Press a seam to open the seam allowance and to place it flat each side of the seam. Iron the right and wrong sides to flatten, neaten and fix into place.

All the steps and calculations needed to adapt a pattern piece from one size to another.

Piping is a ribbon or a piece of fabric that is used to decorate a part of a garment (a pocket, a bound buttonhole, a seam or a cut out, for instance). In our Londres trench coat, the finishing technique that requires piping on the…