Fcm

• Even basting


  1. This is used to hold fabric together temporarily, to ease in fullness and to hold gathers in place

  2. Make regular stitches about 1 cm (½ in) long, spaced about 1 cm (3 in) apart
• Uneven basting


  1. This is stronger than even tacking and is used for holding fabric pieces together along edges that are not subject to a lot of strain, for example, hems

  2. Take a long stitch on top and a short stitch through the fabric
• Running stitch

  1. This is used for a variety of purposes such as seams, gathers, tucks, mending

  2. Take several stitches on the needleaving the point in and out of the fabric

  3. Make stitches about 3-6 mm (%). The stitch length depends on the use and expe of seam
• Working stitches

  1. Working stitches becomes quite easy with practice

  2. Always work stitches from right to left unless the instructions state otherwise. Reverse this direction if you are left-handed

  3. Cut a comfortable length of thread and insert it through the eye of the needle

  4. To begin sewing, hold the stitch securely in place by making two backstitches in the same position. This will fasten the beginning stitch

  5. Continue working the stitches needed until you get to the end. If thread is used up before you get to the end, fasten it off securely and begin again where you stopped

  6. When you are finished, fasten off the stitches securely. To do this, make two backstitches in the same position, pass the needle through to side and cut the thread
• Backstitch

  1. This is an extremely strong stitch that resembles machine straight stitch. It is used whenever a strong hand-sewing stitch is needed

  2. Begin on the right hand side with a double stitch

  3. Take a small stitch back and bring the needle out again to the left of where it was first brought out

  4. Insert the needle in the end of the last stitch and bring it out again one stitch ahead

  5. Continue in this way until you are finished. The stitches on the underside will be twice as long as those on the upper side
• Hemming stitch


  1. This stitch is used for hems and is invisible on the right side

  2. Take a tiny stitch in the garment, and then bring up needle diagonally through the edge of the hem

  3. Continue in this way, spacing stitches about 6 mm (4 in) apart
• Dressmaking pins are used for holding pieces of fabrics together, and for transferring certain construction markings
• Pin cushion is useful for storing a supply of pins and needles while sewing
• Beeswax helps to smooth the very tiny hair-like structures on sewing threads, making it easy to pass the thread through the eye of the needle
• Basic stitches can be divided into two broad categories: temporary stitches and permanent stitches
• Activities

  1. Collect pictures and clippings of sewing equipment and tools to make a wall chart

  2. Collect scraps of fabric and make a small pin cushion of your own design
• Beeswax


  Helps to smooth the very tiny hair-like structures on sewing threads, making it easy to pass the thread through the eye of the needle and the fabric. Reduces tangling and knotting
• Temporary stitches

  1. Basting or tacking (even and uneven)

  2. Diagonal tacking

  3. Tailor's tacking
• Sewing equipment and tools

  • Needles
  • Plastic clip
  • Stuffed cushion
  • Beeswax
  • Pin cushion
  • Thimbles
  • Bodkins
  • Silver and plastic thimbles
  • Sharp
  • Darner
  • Crewel
• Permanent stitches


  1. Joining stitches hold pieces of fabric permanently together

  2. Neatening stitches prevent raw edges from fraying and hold hems securely in place

  3. Decorative stitches add detail or a colourful finish to a garment
• Tools for marking

  1. Tracing wheel is used with dressmaker's carbon to transfer pattern markings to fabric

  2. Dressmaker's carbon or tracing paper is a special carbon paper with a waxy surface used for marking fabric
• Dressmaker's pencil

  • Made of chalk with a brush at one end, sharpenable to a fine point, used for accurately marking fine lines like the size of buttonholes on fabric
• Thimble


  • Essential for protecting fingers from needle damage while hand sewing, available in various sizes and materials like metal, plastic, and ceramic
• Skirt marker

  • Adjustable guide for measuring and marking the level of garment hems accurately, available in three types: pin
• Other sewing tools

  • Machine needles
  • Hand-sewing needles
  • Pins
  • Cushion
  • Thimble
  • Other useful gadgets
• Dressmaker's carbon or tracing paper


  • Special carbon paper with a waxy surface, available in several colours, used with the tracing wheel to transfer construction details from pattern to fabric, not suitable for all fabrics as the colour may not be removable
• Hem gauge


  • Used for measuring the width of hems to ensure even width throughout, can also measure buttonholes, usually made of metal with measurements marked in centimetres and inches, some have a movable marker
• Types of marking tools

  • Dressmaker's carbon or tracing paper
  • Tailor's chalk
  • Dressmaker's pencil
  • Chalk pencil
• Machine needles


  • Manufactured for use on all different brands of sewing machines, available in different sizes to suit the thickness of fabric and thread used
• Hand-sewing needles


  • Available in different sizes for different purposes like basting, hemming, sewing on buttons, darning, and mending, types include Sharps, Betweens, Crewel/embroidery, Darners, Bodkins
• Tailor's chalk


  • May be chalk or wax, available in squares in several colours, used for transferring markings to fabrics, marking the position of hems, buttonholes, pockets, trims, and other features, and for marking alterations
• Dressmaking shears


  Usually have one handle larger than the other, bent handles for ease of cutting, longer than scissors (18-21 cm), made of high-quality stainless steel for longer sharpness, and easier blade movement
• Skirt marker

  An adjustable guide for measuring and marking the level of garment hems accurately. Available in three types: pin, chalk, and pin-and-chalk. The pin type is the most accurate but requires the help of another person. The pin-and-chalk type has a bulb containing powdered chalk for self-use. A yardstick or meter stick can be used as an alternative
• Hem gauge


  Usually made of metal, with measurements clearly marked in centimetres and inches. Some have a movable marker to indicate the width selected
• Scissors


  Handles of the same size, blades usually less than 15 cm long, available in different sizes for various purposes such as trimming, embroidery, and general cutting
• Seam ripper


  A tool with metal prongs at one end, used for quickly undoing seams and removing stitches with care and control
• Pinking shears


  Special shears with sharp, zigzag edges used to neaten raw edges of fabrics that do not fray easily and for cutting heavy fabric
• Tools for cutting

  • Dressmaking shears
  • Dressmaking scissors
  • Specialized cutting tools
  • Electric shears
  • Scissors
  • Trimming scissors
  • Embroidery scissors
  • Pinking shears
  • Seam ripper
• Sewing/joining

  1. Jallitaks

  2. Ch

  3. Dress maker's pencil

  4. Pin cushion and pins

  5. Thimble

  6. Sewing machine

  7. Threads

  8. Sewing needles

  9. Threader

  10. For marking lines and symbols

  11. For holding pins and needles/for holding projects temporarily together

  12. For covering index finger as it pushes the needle through fabric

  13. For stitching garments and other textiles together

  14. For stitching and embroidering

  15. For joining by hands

  16. For threading hand needles
• Pressing and ironing


  1. Marking tools

  2. Tallers' Chalk

  3. SULLIVANS

  4. Dressmaker Carbon Paper

  5. Electric iron

  6. Ironing board

  7. Tailor's ham

  8. Sleeve board

  9. Seam roll Pays moll

  10. Velvet Board

  11. Tailor's chalk

  12. Dress maker's carbon paper

  13. Tracing wheel

  14. For pressing and ironing garment and other textile items

  15. For pressing curved areas on garments

  16. For pressing and ironing sleeves

  17. For pressing seams

  18. For ironing and pressing velvet fabric

  19. For marking lines and symbols

  20. For tracing pattern symbols

  21. Used along with carbon paper
• Cutting

  1. Name of tool

  2. Tape measure

  3. Ruler

  4. Hem gauge

  5. Metre rule/yard stick

  6. Shear

  7. Scissors

  8. Pinking shear

  9. Seam ripper

  10. Thread clipper

  11. Function

  12. For measuring the body and other flexible areas

  13. Measuring short distances

  14. Measuring hem to be finished

  15. For measuring long distances

  16. For cutting fabric and other textiles

  17. For trimming

  18. For finishing edges

  19. For unpicking stitched areas and cutting button holes

  20. For clipping thread