1. Apparel Construction Skills
Apparel Development 2
Objective 3.02

2. Standard Sewing Machine
Used For:
Regular stitching
Machine basting
Reinforcement stitching

3. Serger A Specialized type of sewing machine that can
stitch, trim, and finish all in one
simple step.
Sometimes called “Overlockers”

4. Embroidery Machine Used for: Monogramming Personalizing
Special Designs

5. Problems and Solutions
Skipped stitches- needle comes unthreaded, be sure to take up lever is at the highest point when beginning to stitch
thread knots up on the underside of fabric, hold thread ends under and to the back of the presser foot
Stitch length – When joining 2 heavy fabrics. Keeps them from joining unevenly.
Tension- Check tension of upper thread if the topstitch seams loose.
Special fabrics – Different fabrics require different types of presser foots, Thread, and a change of settings on the sewing machine.

6. Parts and their uses
Needles- Hold the upper thread on the sewing machine, comes in many types and sizes, you must always replace when it becomes dull, bent, or rough.
Presser Feet- holds fabric against the feed dogs which moves the fabric forward.
Feed regulator- Feeds fabric thru the machine while stitching. Changes direction when the reverse stitch button is pressed.

7. Stitches
Types – Three-thread serger, four- thread, two-thread, two-thread stitch, five-thread, rolled hemstitch, flatlock, and cover stitch.
Sizes and length- Basting is temporary stitching. Large stitches that can be removed. May be done by hand or with a long stitch length on sewing machine.
Reinforced stitching is typically seen in crotches of pants. Use stitch length 1 on sewing machine for reinforced stitching.
Standard stitching is used most often. Stitch length 2/3 can be used.
Tension - the heavier the thread, the looser the tension should be
balance stitch, adjust the tension whenever you change
fabrics

8. Special Situations
Corners - Trim edges to reduce bulk. When you push out corner it should be to a point.
Curves – Make sure seam allowance is the same even when you have a curve. Reduce bulk to make seam lie flat.

9. Dressmaker's shears
The bent handles on these shears allow fabric to lie flat on the table as you cut.
Blades are usually 7 to 8 inches in length.
Also know as Bent-handled shears.

10. Scissors
These scissors have small round handles.
Blades are 4 to 6 inches in length (the blades are different in widths).
Use the to trim seams, clip curves, and cut into corners.

11. Pinking Shears The zigzag design helps to prevent raveling.
With these shears, you can finish a seam edge or other raw edge on firmly woven fabric.
The zigzag design helps to prevent raveling.

12. Embroidery Scissors 3 to 4 inches in length, with very pointed blades.
Use for cutting buttonholes & Trimming close to the embroidery hoop.

13. Rotary cutter Resembles a pizza cutter.
Can make straight clean cuts through multiple layers of fabric.
Cutter must be used with a mat.

14. Seam Ripper
Can remove stitches with the blades on one end of this pen-shaped gadget.
Be careful not to cut the fabric.

15. Thread clipper
This tool ha spring-action blades for clipping thread ends or stitches.

16. Industrial Equipment

17. Electric Straight-Knife Cutting Machine
Are manipulated by hand along outlines of the pattern pieces of the marker.
They cut multiples layers of fabric.

18. Laser Cutter
A device that generates an intense, powerful beam of light.
Cut one garment a piece at a time.
They’re economical because they fast and accurate.

19. Pressing: Equipment
Press Cloth- A press cloth is a layer of fabric placed between
the fabric and the iron to
protect the fabric from
scorching or shining.

20. Tailor’s Ham- is convenient for shaping the fabric when
making dressmaker
suits or coat.

21. Sleeve Board- A sleeve board is a small ironing board that is
narrow enough to fit into a sleeve.

22. Seam Roll- A seam roll is a
two-sided cylinder, one side
covered with wool
and the other side
covered with cotton.

23. Point Presser- section for pressing narrow, hard to reach seams of collars; belts; cuffs; corners; points, etc.

24. Pounding Block- Also known as a tailors clapper.
A clapper/pounding block is used to flatten a seam, pleat, dart, lapel, buttonhole, etc.

25. Needle Board- A board
that holds needles
in a loom.

26. Ironing Board- A long, narrow padded board, often with collapsible supporting legs,
used as a working
surface for ironing.

27. Iron- A metal appliance with a
handle and a weighted
flat bottom, used when
heated to press
wrinkles from fabric.
*Make sure to keep iron clean!

28. Pressing: Techniques
Specialized Fabrics- When pressing corduroy or pile fabrics, like velvet, if you don’t press on the wrong side of the fabric, the iron’s impression will be left on the fabric.
Placing these fabrics right side down on a needle board will help preserve texture.
C O R D U R O Y
V EL V E T

29. Use of Pressing Equipment
The iron is the most important pressing tool.
Avoid pressing over pins, sippers, and other metal objects that will scratch the bottom of the iron.
Most pressing equipment,
like the tailors ham, sleeve
board, point presser, etc.,
serve a certain purpose.

30. Types of Seams
Plain seams should be serged and trimmed, or stitched with a seam allowance of 5/8 of an inch.
Perfect for beginner projects from pillows to pants.

31. Types of Seams
A Flat-felled seam is self-enclosed and requires no additional seam finishing technique.
Used where durability is needed or a tailored appearance is desired.

32. Types of Seams Welt seams give the garment a tailored look.
They are used as a decorative accent.

33. Types of Seams
A Double-Stitched is mostly used for sheer fabrics or lightweight knits.
Used on things such as sheer fabrics and lightweight knits.

34. Types of Seams
A French seam is a durable self enclosed seam that is used to conceal seam allowances.
Used on sheer fabric to prevent raveling.

35. Types of Seams
The Lapped seam is a strong smooth seam that should lie perfectly flat. It gets its strength because its sewn with two rows of stitching.
Used on fabrics such as leather or fleece.

36. Types of Seams
A bound seam has both of the raw edges enclosed in a strip of fabric or double fold bias tape.
Used mostly on lightweight fabrics such as silk or chiffon.

37. Standards for Seams
The standard seam allowance when sewing at home is 5/8 of an inch.

38. Standards for Seams
The standard seam allowance for Industrial sewing is ¼ of an inch.

39. Serged Seam
Sergers stitch seams, trim off seam allowances, and finish edges all in one step.
Sometimes used just to finish and other times you use it as a plain finish.

40. Clean Finish “aka” Turned and Stitched
A clean finish is turned under 1/8 to ¼ of the raw edge of fabric and then stitched close to the folded edge.
If you want a smooth edge on the inside of the garment you would do a clean finish.

41. Pinked Finish
Most firmly woven fabrics can be trimmed with pinking shears.
Pinking the fabric doesn’t completely prevent raveling.
Pinking shears give an attractive edge.
For more protection, stitch ¼ inch from each edge before pinking.

42. Bound Finish
A bound finish is used frequently on unlined coats and jackets. Also in dresses and other items that have a tendency to ravel.
Appropriate fabrics are medium/medium heavy and heavyweight woven fabrics.

43. Zigzag Finish This finish is used on a plain seam on woven fabric.
This finish is used on medium- to heavyweight fabrics.
The zigzag stitch length must be adjusted to accommodate and prevent raveling.

44. Piped Finish
Piping is a narrow band of fabric stitched into the seam to accent the seam line or outer edge of a garment.
Piping can be inserted into a seam while it is stitched.

45. Thread Types
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle or an embroidery machine.

46. Rayon Thread
A soft thread, available in great colors, and suitable for all forms of machine embroidery.
It holds up well with high-speed stitching without breaking or fraying and it also consistently performs well.

47. Pearl Crown Rayon Thread
The fibers used in this thread are continuous filament which is virtually hairless.
The fibers are twisted to add to the sheen and make the thread stronger and less prone to fraying and more durable then some other heavy rayons.

48. Metallic Thread Used for decoration.
Adds luminous accents to machine embroidery.
Some offer nylon cores, rice paper construction, or outer coating.

49. Fusible Thread
Used for fuse basting, quilt bindings, appliqué and more. Sew into your fabric, iron, and set your hem or appliqué in place.

50. Invisible Thread Also known as monofilament thread.
Very lightweight thread used on drapery hems on shear or light materials.
Can also be used on a serger on the looper thread.

51. Crochet Thread
Made from mercerized cotton for crafting decorated crochet items.
May be stiffed with starch.

52. Textured Nylon Thread Can be used wherever silk can be used.
Not as fragile as silk.
Stretches much less than silk.
Doesn’t rot when wet.

53. Ribbon Thread
Embroidery is done with ribbon thread, rather than standard six-thread string.
Silk ribbon or a silk and organza blend ribbon are commonly used for this type of embroidery.

54. General purpose threads

55. Polyester
This is all purpose thread that can be used for sewing most fabrics
It is strong and flexible, it shrinks less than most other threads
The thread stretches slightly, it is recommended for knits and stretch fabrics

56. Cotton/Quilting
It Is great for machine quilting, hand quilting, or decorative stitching

57. Cotton covered polyester thread
Cotton covered polyester thread is good for for hand and machine sewing on all natural fabrics, synthetics, woven and knits
It is strong and durable.

58. Upholstery This thread can be used in your sewing machine or by hand
It is usually used for home décor projects

59. Button Craft Has great elasticity and strength
It can be permanently stretched in sewing, and is good for silks and wools
Button whole twist is a strong, lustrous silk about three times the diameter of normal sewing silk, and can be used for sewing buttons with various decorative effects

60. Sizing Patterns
In order to determine what your pattern size is you must take your body measurements.
After you have figured your figure type the next step is to find your pattern size. Check your measurements and line them up with what’s on the chart located at the back of the patter envelope.

61. Pinning Patterns
Pin the grain line first, if you don’t pin the grain line correctly your finished garment will not hang correctly.
Pin perpendicular to the bold line.

62. Pinning Continued DON’T OVER PIN IT!
Silk pins are the best pins to use in order to prevent ripping the pattern pieces.
DON’T OVER PIN IT!
Place pins diagonally in corners.

63. Cutting Out Patterns Use long strokes with your scissors.
Cut on the bold line.
Cut out the required number called for by the pattern.

64. Cutting Out Patterns Continued.
Cut all your notches away from the seam.
Make required marks to fabric before removing your pattern piece.

65. Marking
Transfer all your marks to the WRONG side of the fabric before removing pattern piece.
Don’t iron over your markings, marks may become permanent.
You may use tailor’s chalk, a marking pen, or tracing wheel and tracing paper.

66. Hems Machine Hand Rolled Blind Topstitched Bound Shirt Tail
Blind stitch
Catch stitch
Slip stitch

67. Rolled Used on more formal attire at bottom of garment.
Uses special foot to roll the fabric while it stitches.

68. Blind Invisible machine-worked hem Used on dress pants
Different type of presser
foot is used

69. Topstitched
To sew a row of stitching close to the seam or edge of (a garment) on the outer side of the fabric.

70. Bound
THE BOUND HEM This kind of hem is used especially for finishing skirts and pants. It is a sturdy kind of hem.

71. Shirt Tail
Used on Medium to heavy weight fabrics that ravel easily.

72. Hand
Blind stitch- Looks professional and cannot see stitching on the right side of garment.
Slip stitch- Used on the hem of a turned in stitch or a bias binding finish.
Catch stitch- a large cross-stitch used in finishing seams and in hemming

73. Closures

74. Zippers
Choose the right one for the job (look at the back of the pattern envelope
Come in different colors

75. Buttons
Sew Through- have 2-4 holes on the face of the button for attaching with thread
Shank- is a loop on the back of the button that allows the button to lay loosely.

76. hand / Machine stitched
Buttonholes
hand / Machine stitched

77. Hook and Loop Tape
Two Nylon Strips, one with tiny loops and the other with a looped pile.

78. Hook & Eye / Bar
They are used on edges that just meet like a neck or collar line. Also they can be used at the top of a zipper for further support.

79. SNAPS They are all different sizes.
Smaller snaps hold edges together where the strain or pull is minimal.
Larger sizes are good for heavy duty use.
Snaps pre-attached to fabric tapes are ideal for sportswear and children’s wear.

80. Interfacing Used to add shape and give stiffness to a garment.
Non-Fusible
Baste stitch in.
Fusible
Apply with heat