WBBSE Madhyamik Sewing & Needle Work (Optional) cheat sheet

Cutting tools: bent-handle shears for fabric (keep blades flat on the table), paper scissors for patterns only, pinking shears for finishing raw edges, seam ripper for unpicking - never use fabric shears on paper, as paper dulls the blades.

Needle sizes for hand sewing run from about 1 (heaviest, for thick fabric) to 12 (finest, for light fabric); a needle should be fine enough to pass through fabric without leaving a visible hole.

Machine needle numbering: the metric size (60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110) increases with fabric weight; a 70/10 suits fine cotton and silk, 80/12 medium cotton, 90/14 or 100/16 denim and canvas.

Pins: steel dressmaker pins for most fabrics, glass-headed or plastic-headed pins for wool and for visibility; never leave pins in fabric for long periods because they can leave rust marks.

Iron care: empty the water tank after use, wipe the soleplate only when cold, and clean starch build-up with a cloth; store upright to protect the plate.

Measuring tools: a flexible tape measure (usually 150 cm, marked on both sides) for body measurement, a rigid ruler or set square for pattern drafting, and a seam gauge for narrow, even hems.

Sharpening and cleaning: shears should be professionally sharpened when they begin to crush rather than cut; remove the throat plate and clean lint from the bobbin area after every few hours of machining.

Storage rules: keep needles in a pin cushion or needle book, keep pins in a closed box, and oil metal machine parts lightly with a purpose-made sewing-machine oil, not cooking oil.

Running stitch: small, even stitches of equal length on both sides, worked in a straight line; used for tacking, gathering, and simple seams on light fabric.

Back stitch: a strong, non-stretching stitch made by taking the needle back into the end of the previous stitch; it resembles machine stitching and is used where strength is needed.

Hemming stitch: a slanting stitch that picks up one or two threads of the garment fold and a thread of the flat fabric beneath, giving an almost invisible finish on hems.

Blanket stitch: worked along a raw edge with the needle passing through a loop of thread; used to finish blanket edges and to appliqué.

Chain stitch: a series of loops formed by holding the thread under the needle; decorative and removable when the thread end is pulled.

Seam types: plain (open) seam pressed open; French seam for fine fabric, sewn twice with raw edges enclosed; flat-fell seam for strong, enclosed finishes on shirts and jeans; run-and-fell and overcast for hand work.

Seam allowance rule: 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) is standard for most garments; 1 cm for curves and necklines; 2.5–4 cm for hems depending on garment type.

Stay-stitching is a line of straight stitching worked just inside the seam line on curved edges (necklines, armholes) to prevent stretching before construction.

Drafting sequence: take measurements, draft the basic block (bodice, skirt, sleeve), check fit in muslin, then adapt the block into the final pattern with seam allowances added last.

Dart manipulation: a dart can be moved to any position around a pivot point at the bust or shoulder tip without changing the fit; the total dart intake stays constant.

Slash-and-spread method: cut the pattern along chosen lines and spread to add fullness (gathers, flares, pleats); the pivot method rotates the dart without adding fullness.

Grain line: the pattern's grain arrow must run parallel to the selvedge; cutting off-grain causes twisting and poor hang.

Notches and balance marks: single notch for the front, double notch for the back, so pieces can be matched correctly during sewing.

Seam allowance is added to the pattern after drafting; the stitching line is the drafted line and the cutting line is outside it.

Pattern symbols: straight grain arrow, fold line, place-on-fold, grain line, dart, buttonhole, and centre front/back lines each have a fixed meaning and must be transferred to fabric.

Commercial patterns are sized by bust/chest, waist and hip measurements; choose size by measurement, not by age or by the size label on ready-made clothes.

Lay out pattern pieces on the straight grain, with place-on-fold pieces exactly on the folded edge, and keep all pieces running the same direction on napped or one-way fabrics.

Fabric is folded right sides together for most cutting; the fold is placed at the edge of the table and smoothed flat before pinning.

Pin inside the seam allowance, parallel to the cutting line, about 8–10 cm apart, so the pins do not mark the finished garment.

Marking methods: tailor's chalk or marking pencil on the wrong side, tailor's tacks for two layers, tracing wheel with carbon paper for firm fabric, and snips (small clips) in the seam allowance.

Cut with long, smooth strokes of the shears, keeping the lower blade flat on the table; never lift the fabric while cutting, as this distorts the piece.

Cut notches outward, not inward, and keep the scissors pointing away from the body; cut large pieces first to leave room for small ones.

Before unpinning, transfer all marks (darts, buttonholes, pocket positions, centre lines) to the fabric; marks made after unpinning are less accurate.

One-way and napped fabrics (corduroy, velvet, printed directional fabric) require all pattern pieces to be laid in the same direction to avoid shading differences.

Bust/chest: measure around the fullest part of the bust, keeping the tape level and parallel to the floor, with the tape not pulled tight.

Waist: measure the natural waistline, the narrowest point of the torso, usually found by bending sideways; keep one finger under the tape for ease.

Hip: measure around the fullest part of the hips, usually 18–23 cm below the waist, depending on body height.

Back length (nape to waist): measure from the prominent bone at the base of the neck straight down to the waistline.

Shoulder width: measure from the shoulder point (where the arm joins the shoulder) across the back to the other shoulder point.

Sleeve length: with the arm slightly bent, measure from the shoulder point over the elbow to the wrist bone; for a short sleeve, to the desired point on the upper arm.

Ease: body measurements are not garment measurements; wearing ease is added for comfort (typically 5–8 cm at the bust for a fitted garment), and design ease is added for style.

Size charts are based on body measurements, and standard charts assume a B-cup bust; a full-bust adjustment is needed when the bust–waist difference exceeds the chart's assumption.

Threading order: spool pin, thread guide, tension discs, take-up lever, needle bar guide, needle; the presser foot must be raised while threading so the thread enters the tension discs.

Bobbin winding: wind evenly at a steady speed, then insert the bobbin so the thread unwinds in the correct direction for the machine (usually clockwise for a front-loading bobbin).

Tension balance: correct tension shows the upper and lower threads meeting inside the fabric; loops on the underside mean the top tension is too loose, loops on top mean it is too tight.

Stitch length is set by the stitch-length dial (typically 2.5 mm for normal seams, 3–4 mm for basting, 1–1.5 mm for fine fabric); reverse is used to lock the seam at both ends.

Needle problems: a bent or blunt needle causes skipped stitches, thread breakage and fabric pulls; change the needle after about 8–10 hours of sewing or at the first sign of trouble.

Cleaning: brush lint from the feed dogs, bobbin case and throat plate after each project; lint in the bobbin area is a common cause of poor stitching.

Oiling: place one or two drops of sewing-machine oil on the marked oil points, run the machine without fabric to spread the oil, then wipe off excess.

Safety and care: unplug before cleaning or changing the needle, do not pull fabric while stitching, and cover the machine when not in use to keep out dust.

Natural fibres: cotton (plant, absorbent, strong when wet, wrinkles, shrinks), linen (plant, strong, crisp, creases easily), wool (animal, warm, elastic, felts with heat and friction), silk (animal, lustrous, strong, damaged by strong sunlight and perspiration).

Regenerated fibres: viscose/rayon from wood pulp, soft and drapey but weak when wet; acetate is thermoplastic and must be ironed at low temperature.

Synthetic fibres: polyester (strong, quick-drying, thermoplastic, holds pleats), nylon (very strong, abrasion-resistant), acrylic (wool-like, warm, pills), elastane/spandex (high stretch, always blended).

Identification tests: burning test - cotton and linen smell of burning paper and leave soft grey ash; wool and silk smell of burning hair and leave a crushable black bead; synthetics melt and form a hard bead.

Fabric construction: woven (warp and weft, stable, fraying edges), knitted (loops, stretchy, runs), and non-woven (bonded, no grain, does not fray).

Fabric selection depends on purpose: absorbency and washability for children's wear, drape for dresses, firmness for tailoring, stretch for activewear, and heat resistance for ironing.

Pre-shrinking and washing: wash and dry washable fabric before cutting so the finished garment does not shrink; test a sample for colour bleeding.

Selvedge is the firmly woven edge running along the warp; the straight grain runs parallel to the selvedge, and the crosswise grain runs perpendicular to it.

Construction order: stay-stitch and mark, sew darts, join shoulder seams, attach facings or collar, set in sleeves, join side seams, attach waistband or hem, then finish and press.

Darts are stitched from the wide end to the point, tied off or back-stitched at the point, and pressed toward the centre of the garment, not over the point.

Set-in sleeves: ease the sleeve cap between notches with two rows of gathering stitches, match notches to the armhole, and stitch with the sleeve on top.

Facings finish necklines and armholes; understitch the facing to the seam allowance so it rolls to the inside and does not show.

Hems: narrow hem (double-folded 0.5–1 cm) for light fabric, shaped or bias hem for flared skirts, blind hem for tailored garments; hem stitches should not show on the right side.

Pressing is part of construction: press each seam as it is sewn, press seams open or to one side as the design requires, and use a pressing cloth on delicate or synthetic fabric.

Fastenings: buttonholes are worked on the double (facing) side, buttons on the underlap; a zip is inserted before the seam below it is closed, and hook-and-eye closures are used at waistbands and neck edges.

Final finishing: clip curved seam allowances, trim and overcast raw edges, remove all tacking threads, and give a final press before the garment is worn.

Stem stitch: worked from left to right with small slanting stitches that overlap, producing a continuous line used for flower stems and outlines.

Satin stitch: straight stitches worked closely side by side to fill a shape; the fabric must be backed or interfaced to prevent puckering.

Chain stitch: loops formed by bringing the needle out inside the previous loop; used for outlines and as a filling when worked in rows.

Lazy daisy (detached chain): a single chain loop anchored with a small stitch; five or six arranged around a centre form a flower.

French knot: the thread is wrapped around the needle two or three times and the needle returned close to where it emerged, making a small raised dot.

Cross stitch and canvas work are counted-thread techniques; the fabric must have an even weave, and the stitch is worked over a fixed number of threads.

Appliqué: a shaped piece of fabric is stitched onto a background with a close buttonhole or satin stitch; fusible web may be used to hold the shape before stitching.

Fabric painting and printing, bead work, mirror (shisha) work, and quilting are other forms of surface ornamentation; always test colourfastness and washability before decorating a garment.

Care-label symbols: a washtub means washing (with a number for temperature), a triangle means bleaching, a square with a circle means tumble drying, an iron means ironing (dots give temperature), a circle means dry cleaning.

Washing rules: sort by colour and fabric, turn garments inside out, close zips and buttons, use the recommended temperature, and wash wool and silk by hand or on a delicate cycle.

Drying: dry wool and silk flat in shade, dry cotton in sunlight, and avoid tumble drying elastane and wool, which lose shape and shrink with heat.

Stains: treat immediately; cold water for blood and egg, warm water and detergent for grease, and solvent for oil paint; never iron a stain before it is removed, as heat sets it.

Mending: darn holes in knitwear with a woven patch of running stitches; patch tears with a matching piece on the wrong side; replace worn buttons and repair seams before they split further.

Alteration order: take in side seams for a smaller fit, let out seam allowances for a larger fit (limited by the allowance available), shorten hems from the bottom, and adjust waistbands last.

Recycling: old cotton clothes become cleaning cloths, patchwork, bags, or cushion covers; woollen garments can be felted and cut without fraying; buttons and zips are salvaged for reuse.

Storage: clean garments before storing, use padded hangers for knitwear, cedar or neem to deter insects, and store wool in sealed bags to prevent moth damage.