Basic Sewing Lingo
So, you've got this pile of fabric, and these tools, and no idea what the hell I'm talking about. Fear not. This is not that complicated.
Let's begin by looking at your fabric. You'll notice that if you have a printed fabric it's got one side that's the print, and another that doesn't look so great. The side with the print is called the right side; the other is called, logically enough, the wrong side. If you have a solid fabric it may not have this. When you sew, you'll just pick a side and have that be the wrong side. It's a little harder then, because you have to really watch to make sure that you don't accidentally misstep and have to redo things, but it's not that big a deal.
Now, look closely at your fabric. You see the threads running up and down and back and forth? Well, if you cut out your garment so the up-and-downs run, well, up and down, it's "on the straight grain". Lay it out on the back and forths, it's "on the cross grain". If you lay it out diagonal to these, it's "on the bias". The bias of woven fabric stretches, and some garments utilize this...if you want to see it in action, check out my shirt schematic. By default, lay your garments out with the straight grain of the fabric.
I don't give seam allowance, but that's not that big a deal. On the edges of the piece, you allow an extra half inch. That lets you sew a half inch away from the edge, without cutting into the space your body needs. On neck and sleeve edges, this lets you fold over a quarter inch, then another quarter, so the cut edge of the fabric (also called the raw edge is wrapped up inside. If I refer to rolling a hem, that's what I mean for you to do. By the way, hem refers to finishing an edge of the garment that's left open...a neck hole, the end of the sleeve at the wrist, the bottom edge of the skirt, etc.
Got that? Okay, now go back and pick out what you want to do.
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