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Pancyprian TS Fashion Design II study materials
Pancyprian TS Fashion Design II study resources

Pancyprian TS Fashion Design II: Sewing Technology, Equipment and Production Techniques

Pancyprian TS Fashion Design II · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

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Sewing Technology, Equipment and Production Techniques

Sewing Technology, Equipment and Production Techniques

The exam tests whether you can specify how a garment is actually made: which machine, needle, thread and stitch class, and how a factory would organise and check the work.

Stitches and seams

  • Stitch classes: 301 lockstitch (straight, two threads), 504 three-thread overlock (edge neatening), 514 four-thread overlock (stretch seaming on knits), 406 coverstitch (knit hems, decorative topstitching).
  • Seams: plain/open (pressed open), French (fine fabrics, fully enclosed), flat-felled (jeans, shirt yokes), welt (tailored, heavy), lapped.
  • Stitch density affects strength: about 2.5 mm is standard, 1.5–2 mm for fine silk so seams do not grin.

Needles and threads

  • Needle size matches fabric weight: 60/8–70/10 for chiffon and silk, 80/12 for shirting, 90/14–100/16 for denim, 110/18 for heavy coatings.
  • Needle point matters: sharp or Microtex for wovens, ballpoint for knits so the needle slips between loops instead of cutting them.
  • Thread finer than the fabric: polyester core-spun for strength, cotton where natural shrinkage behaviour is wanted, silk for fine tailoring.

Machines, cutting and production

Straight-stitch, overlock, coverstitch, blind hemmer, buttonholer, bartacker, press. Cutting: straight knife, band knife, rotary cutter, die clicker, CAD cutter; marker efficiency of 80–85% is good. Production systems: make-through, progressive bundle, modular, unit production. Quality control: 4-point fabric inspection, in-line checks, final AQL inspection.

Worked example

Silk georgette blouse: 60/8 Microtex needle, fine polyester thread, 2 mm stitch length, French seams at the sides, rolled hem, fine tension, tissue strips under the seam to prevent puckering. Every choice follows from the fabric's fineness and its tendency to slip.

Traps

  • Using a universal 80/12 on fine silk, causing pulls and permanent holes.
  • Overlocking the seam allowance before fitting.
  • Ironing rather than pressing, which stretches and shines the cloth.
  • Pairing a lockstitch seam with a knit that needs stretch, so the seam cracks.
  • Specifying a seam the factory's machines cannot produce at the quoted price.