RBSE Sec Voc Apparel Made-Ups and Home Furnishing key terms

The smallest hair-like unit from which yarn and fabric are made; it must be long enough and flexible enough to be spun or felted.

A short natural fibre measured in centimetres, such as cotton, wool or jute, which must be twisted together to form a yarn.

A continuous fibre of great length, either natural like silk or man-made from a spinneret, needing little or no twisting to become yarn.

The process of drawing out, twisting and winding loose fibres into a continuous yarn of even thickness and adequate strength.

A number expressing yarn thickness, either as mass per fixed length or length per fixed mass, depending on the counting system used.

The interlacing of two sets of yarns at right angles, warp lengthwise and weft crosswise, to produce woven fabric.

The set of yarns running lengthwise in a woven fabric, held under tension on the loom and forming the fabric's stronger direction.

The yarns inserted crosswise from selvedge to selvedge during weaving, also called filling or pick yarns.

The firmly woven, non-fraying edge running along both lengthwise sides of a woven fabric, formed where the weft turns back.

Fabric made by interlooping yarns rather than interlacing them, giving stretch and elasticity in at least one direction.

The direction of the warp yarns in woven fabric, marked on patterns as a long arrow that must be placed parallel to the selvedge.

A line at exactly 45 degrees to the warp and weft directions; fabric cut on the bias stretches and drapes noticeably more than on grain.

The systematic construction of a paper pattern from body measurements using drafting rules, blocks and construction lines.

A close-fitting master pattern with minimal ease, developed from body measurements, from which other styles are derived by manipulation.

The process of systematically increasing or decreasing a pattern's dimensions to produce the same design in a range of sizes.

A trial garment made in cheap fabric from a pattern to test fit, proportion and construction before cutting the final material.

A stitched wedge of fabric that removes excess fullness so flat cloth can be shaped over the curves of the body.

The extra width of fabric added beyond the stitching line so that a seam can be joined and finished without reducing the garment.

A row of straight stitching made just inside the seam line on curved or bias edges to prevent stretching before construction.

The simplest seam, joining two pieces right sides together with a straight stitch and pressing the allowances open or to one side.

An enclosed seam in which the raw edges are hidden inside a second, wider row of stitching, giving a neat finish on both sides.

A stitch formed by three or four threads that trims and wraps the raw edge of fabric, preventing fraying while joining or finishing seams.

A layer of stiffening material attached to the wrong side of fabric to give support and shape to collars, cuffs, plackets and waistbands.

A shaped piece of fabric sewn to a garment edge such as a neckline or armhole and turned inside to conceal and finish the raw edge.

The way fabric hangs and folds under its own weight when suspended; a key factor in choosing material for flowing garment styles.

The overall outline or shape of a garment as seen from a distance, such as A-line, straight, fitted or flared.

A quick fashion sketch of an elongated figure used to present design ideas, garment proportions and surface detailing.

A single repeated design unit, such as a flower or geometric shape, used in printing, embroidery or other surface decoration.

Decorative stitching applied to fabric by hand or machine using threads to create motifs, borders and textured patterns.

A technique of cutting shaped pieces of fabric and stitching them onto a base cloth to build up a decorative design.

A hand method of decorating fabric by pressing carved wooden or metal blocks coated with dye or pigment onto the surface in repeat.

A resist technique in which fabric is tied, knotted or bound before dyeing so that bound areas remain undyed and form patterns.

A finished textile article produced from fabric by cutting and stitching, such as bed linen, curtains, towels or bags.

Textile and related products used to decorate and equip a home, including curtains, upholstery, cushions, bedcovers and table linen.

The production department where fabric is spread, marked and cut into garment components according to the pattern and marker plan.

A plan showing the most economical arrangement of pattern pieces on the fabric lay to minimise wastage during cutting.

The stage in apparel production where a trial garment is made and approved by the buyer before bulk manufacturing begins.

The activity of identifying a market opportunity, organising resources and taking financial risk to start and run a business.

The calculation of all expenses involved in producing an item, including materials, labour and overheads, to fix a selling price.

A permanently attached label giving instructions for washing, bleaching, drying and ironing a garment to maintain its quality.

The ability of a dyed or printed fabric to retain its colour without fading or bleeding during washing, light exposure or rubbing.

An organised collection of a candidate's sketches, samples, patterns and finished products used to evidence practical skill and progress.