Sewing can be a very rewarding hobby. Not only can you save money by making clothing for your family, you can also make many household items. To get started, there are some sewing terms you need to know. Learn the basics with this sewing dictionary to get you well on your way.

Basting, or stay stitches. These are used to hold the fabric pieces together temporarily. They are very loose stitches that are placed in the seam allowance. Once the piece is finished, these stitches are taken out. They can help keep the fabric where it needs to be while sewing. This stitch is most commonly used when placing sleeves on a garment.

Bias. Another characteristic of fabric, this is the diagonal intersection of the two grains of a fabric. If you cut fabric on the bias, it will be very stretchy. Occasionally, a sewing pattern will call for fabric to be cut on the bias to take advantage of this characteristic.

Bobbin. This holds the thread that will form the back side of your seam. It goes in your sewing machine underneath the needle. You should use the same color thread that you are sewing with.

Darts. These are used to give a garment shape. They are seams that are used to make a small part of the garment smaller. They are commonly used in waist bands, at the back of the neck, at the bust line and at the back of the sleeves.

Ease. This is the difference between the body measurements of the finished garment and the actual size of the garment. This will be different in each finished product depending on the style of clothing. There should always be some ease in a garment to allow for comfort.

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