CLOTHING TERMINOLOGY

Department of Fabric and Apparel Science

Lady Irwin College
1. SELVAGE/SELVEDGE: The narrow, flat woven border resulting at both
lengthwise sides when the crosswise threads reverse direction is called the
selvage. The threads composing it are strong and densely woven.
1. SELVAGE/SELVEDGE: The narrow, flat woven border resulting at both
lengthwise sides when the crosswise threads reverse direction is called the
selvage. The threads composing it are strong and densely woven.
2. Warp yarns – The yarn that runs lengthwise in a fabric. Also

known as ends.
3. Filling yarns– Yarn running across the width of the fabric. Also
known as Wefts/Picks.
4. Grain– It is the direction of yarns in

the fabric. Every woven fabric

consists of lengthwise yarns and

crosswise yarns, which constitute the

lengthwise grain and the crosswise

grain respectively.

a. Lengthwise grain

b. Crosswise grain
4a. Lengthwise grain: Yarns are parallel with the selvedge and at right angles to
the cross grain. Fabrics will not stretch when pulled in lengthwise direction. This
is the strongest grain and drapes best when perpendicular to the floor. For this
reason garments are usually cut with the lengthwise grain running vertically for
durability.

4b.Crosswise grain: Yarns are woven across the fabric from selvedge to
selvedge. These are usually slightly weaker than the lengthwise yarns. It is the
filling yarn of woven fabrics and yields to tension.
4c. Bias: Bias is any slanting or diagonal line intersecting the lengthwise and
crosswise yarns. Fabric cut on the bias grain possesses much greater elasticity than
that cut on the crosswise grain.

TRUE BIAS: True bias is the angle line that intersects with the lengthwise and
crosswise grains at a 45 degree angle. True bias has maximum give and stretch,
easily conforming to the figure’s contours. Flares, cowls and drapes work best when
cut on true bias.
5. Grain line – A line in a pattern piece that indicates the direction of lengthwise
yarns in a pattern piece on fabric. It is always placed parallel to the selvedge
5. Grain line – A line in a pattern piece that indicates the direction of
lengthwise yarns in a pattern piece on fabric. It is always placed
parallel to the selvedge
5. Grain line – A line in a pattern piece that indicates the direction of
lengthwise yarns in a pattern piece on fabric. It is always placed
parallel to the selvedge

BASIC STITCHING SKILLS

Garment pieces cut on different grains
6. SEAM: It is a stitching line formed by joining two pieces of fabric together.

7. SEAM LINE/ STITCHING LINE: It is a line that indicates where seam

should be made/placed.
8. Seam allowance – It is the extra fabric, which is outside the seam line within
the garment. It is the distance from the raw edge of a seam to the stitching line
to allow sufficient material to prevent fraying.
9. FRAY: The threads that come out from the raw edges of the fabric during
handling of fabrics is known as fraying
10. SEAM FINISH-It is the finish applied to raw edge of a seam to control fraying
or ravelling. Various types of seam finishes are overlocking, edge stitching, pinking,
turning and stitching etc.
11. BASTING/TACKING: Basting is a temporary stitch which is either done through
pins or it is sewn by hand or machine, and it is also called tacking. It holds two or more
pieces of fabric together before final stitching. These are loose long stitches made by
contrasting threads which are removed after the final stitching.
12. CLOTHING: All items of apparel/garment and adornment used to cover
or decorate the body.

13. TAILORED GARMENTS: Tailored garments include all the clothing

that is cut and sewn to conform the body shape.

14. READY-TO-WEAR GARMENTS: These include all the garments that

are mass produced in factory in different sizes as per the standard
measurements.

15. DRAPED GARMENTS: These include all the clothing that hangs in
loose folds around the body, generally tied with cords or fastened with pins,
but not cut or sewn to fit the body. Example: Saree, Dhotis, Dupattas etc.
16. NECKLINE: The neckline of a garment frames the neck and provides
an opening for the head.
• A lot of variations can be achieved in neckline shapes. A few can fit along
natural body neckline, some can fall below while others can rise above.
• Necklines cannot only be deepened but widened too in its designing.
• They may or may not follow the same shape for front and back.
• These can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
17. ARMHOLE: These are openings in garments for allowing arms to come out.
Sleeve cap is placed in the armhole.
18. SLEEVE: A sleeve is a covering for the arm that is attached at or near the
armhole of the garment. These are functional in providing modesty, warmth or
protection. These are equally important for bringing in design variations in the
garments.
19. CUFF: Cuff is constructed from a fabric band that finishes and/or decorates the
lower raw edge of the sleeve. These may extend or lengthen the sleeve as it finishes
the lower edge. Cuffs may be decorative and of various widths and shapes.
20. Placket – These are finished openings in garments which make the
putting on and taking off the garment easier. Placket openings may be present
either at centre front or centre back, at shoulder, side seam or sleeves and at
crotch level or at lower end in bifurcated garments like pants, capris etc.
Plackets are generally functional in nature, however, these may be decorative
at times. Different kinds of fasteners are used to close the plackets like
button/buttonholes, snaps buttons, hook and eye and zippers.
 21. POCKET: Pocket is a small pouch or bag sewn onto or into a garment. It
is used to carry small items. Pockets may be visible on the garment or
completely concealed or partially exposed. Though most pockets are both
functional as well as decorative, a few non functional fake pockets are used
too to complement a garment’s design.
22. YOKE: Yokes are usually small, fitted, flat panels of fabric at shoulder,
waist or midriff to which the rest of the garment is sewn. A yoke may be used
on the front or back of the garment or may be cut as part of the sleeves. It
creates a, horizontal line (straight or shaped) from which pleats, gathers or
tucks may fall.
23. HEMLINE: It is the line formed by the lower edge of a garment, such as
a skirt, dress or coat, measured from the floor. It not only provides a neat
finish but also helps a garment to hang well when worn.
24. DART : Dart is a triangular/ wedge fold stitched to shape the flat fabric
to specific curves of the body. It is wide at one end and gradually tapers to
nothing at other end. It is a means of controlling the fit in a garment by
disposing off the fullness and gives a smooth appearance to the garment.
Darts are stitched from inside the garment (figure A and B) and only a line
appears from the right side (figure C).
24. DART :
25. Princess Line - A dress or top with a seamline that runs from the armhole to
the hem, or the shoulder and the hem, where the bust and waist darts are
incorporated into this seam.
26. Empire Line A dress style where the bodice ends and the skirt begins just
under the bust
27. TUCK: Tuck is a slender fold of fabric on straight grain and stitched along all or
a part of its length on the right side of the fabric. Generally, it is a decorative addition
to any piece of fabric and stitched from right side. However, functional tucks are
stitched from wrong side of fabric.
28. PLEATS: Pleat is a decorative unstitched fold of fabric folded upon
itself so that it is comprised of three layers. The top fold of the pleat hides the
back fold and pleat can be spread open to see the back fold. Pleats are
construction details used to control fullness and give shape to the garment
and most commonly found in skirts where these are held in place at
waistband.
29.GATHERS: Gathers are small, soft folds made by drawing up fabric on a
hand stitched or machine stitched stitching line. These introduce fullness in
garments and provide soft feminine look. Extra amount of fabric is required
to draw gathers which depends on how much fullness is desired and what

kind of fabric is being used.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Identify the design component:

a b c d
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

State whether true or false

1. The yarn that runs widthwise in a fabric is known as warp

2. Bias direction in a fabric has the maximum stretch.

3. The finished opening in a garment is known as yoke.
4. Pockets can be both functional as well as decorative.
5. The line on which the fabric is stitched is known as seam allowance.
 THANK YOU!

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