Glossary
Hand Sewer Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential hand sewer terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key hand sewer vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in hand sewer training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Alteration
- Changing fit.
- Backstitch
- Strong hand stitch.
- Basting
- Temporary stitches.
- Blind hem
- Hidden hem stitch.
- Edge for buttonholes.
- Couture
- High-end custom sewing.
- Grain
- Fabric direction.
- Interfacing
- Stiffening layer.
- Lining
- Inner fabric layer.
- Notions
- Buttons, zippers and thread.
- Seam
- Joined fabric line.
- Selvage
- Woven fabric edge.
- Slip stitch
- Invisible stitch.
- Thimble
- Finger protector.
- Whipstitch
- Edge stitch.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Hand Sewer practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Hand Sewer training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.