Resources

Cargo patch pockets are external pockets that are topstitched onto a garment.

To make corners crisp once they are turned right side out, the seam allowance is carefully trimmed down close to the stitching by the corner.

Along convex and concave curves, the seam allowance lays more flatly if it is clipped carefully to the line of stitching. On concave curves, cut a series of wedges out of the seam allowance. On convex curves, make a series of straight snips in the seam allowance.

A concealed button band is a type of placket where the buttons are hidden by the top layer of the placket and are invisible when it’s buttoned up.

A continuous bound placket is a placket made from one piece of fabric that is used to bind a slash opening in the sleeve.

Patterns will sometimes say things like, “cut two mirrored.” This means that if you are using fabric with an obvious right and wrong side, or fabric with a directional pattern, you have to be sure to cut the two pieces so they are exact opposites, mirrors, of each other. If your fabric doesn’t have a right or wrong side or a directional pattern, there is no need to cut mirrored.

The term “cut on fold” or “place on fold” will often appear on pattern pieces along one edge. It means to place that edge of the pattern along the folded edge of the fabric. Paper patterns often only have half of the front and back bodices because you place them on the fold when you cut into the fabric. This is a way of reducing the time required for cutting out pattern pieces and squeezing more pattern pieces onto a smaller size paper.