core technical principles

Question 1

what are the three main seams?

Answer 1

-plain seam
-french seam
-double-stitched seam

Question 2

what is a plain seam?

Answer 2

a flat seam which is not seen on the outside of the product but the edges need to be neatened to stop them from fraying

Question 3

what is a french seam?

Answer 3

a french seam is sewn twice so the edges are enclosed and are not visible on the outside of the product. it is a strong seam useful for fine fabrics as the turnings are hidden. (it can be bulky on thicker fabrics)

Question 4

what is a double stitched seam?

Answer 4

is a strong and flat seam with all the turnings enclosed. It is visible on the outside of the product so is often used as a decorative feature.

Question 5

how do you do a plain seam?

Answer 5

-stitch plain seam 10mm from edge. trim seam allowance to 3mm
-turn to right side. press flat. stitch exactly on the seamline 5mm away

(when sewing the fabrics should be wrong sides together)

Question 6

how do you do a french seam?

Answer 6

-place fabrics wrong sides together and stitch on seamline
-press 5mm under
-press seam open. trim one seam allowance to 5mm
-fold over seamline
-stitch folded edge over

Question 7

what are pleats?

Answer 7

folds in fabric that are stitched or pressed in place

they allow for movement in clothing and add texture and a decorative affect

Question 8

what are the three main types of pleat?

Answer 8

knife, inverted, box

Question 9

what is a knife pleat?

Answer 9

single folds all facing the same way

Question 10

what is inverted pleat?

Answer 10

two knife pleats facing each other

Question 11

what are box pleats?

Answer 11

two knife pleats facing away from each other

Question 12

what are tucks?

Answer 12

tucks are similar to pleats but narrower and stitched along their length, used as a decorative feature

Question 13

what does piping do?

Answer 13

-defines and strengthens an edge and can add decoration

Question 14

how is piping made?

Answer 14

by enclosing a cord in a strip of bias-cut fabric before stitching it into a seam

Question 15

how are yarns made?

Answer 15

by twisting fibres together

Question 16

what is plying?

Answer 16

yarns being twisted with other yarns to make them stronger so they can be used for many purposes.

Question 17

what are sewing threads made from?

Answer 17

ployester fibre

Question 18

how do you do weaving?

Answer 18

-woven fabrics are made on a loom which interlaces two yarns at right angles to each other
-the warp is fixed in the loom and runs the length of the fabric
-the second set of yarns are the weft yarns. which go horizontally across the loom, weaving in and out of the warp yarns

Question 19

what are the main actions in weaving?

Answer 19

1. shedding: the warp pass through the heddles that are raised to make a space called a shed for the weft threads to pass through
2. picking: the weft yarn in carried through the shed in a shuttle, a rapier, a jet of water or air
3. beating: a reed pushes the weft yarn into place
4. left off: the warp yarns unwound from a beam as the fabric is woven
5. take off: the woven fabric wound onto the cloth beam

Question 20

what are the two types of loom?

Answer 20

shuttle loom- used to make a plain weave
jacquard loom- used to make complex patterns

Question 21

why are special finishes added to fabrics?

Answer 21

to make them better suited for intended use

Question 22

how is stain resistance added to a fabric?

Answer 22

-the fabric is sprayed with flurorocarbons that can stop oil and water based stains attaching themselves to the fabric so it stays cleaner for longer

-the finishes are environmentally friendly and biodegrade over time

Question 23

what are the best known stain resistant finishes?

Answer 23

teflon and scotchgard

Question 24

what is a nap?

Answer 24

a one-directional raised or brushed surface

Question 25

what is a datum point?

Answer 25

a known point of reference from which further measurements can be made.