Sewing

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"Sewn" redirects here. For the song, see Sewn (song).
"Seamstress" redirects here. For the graphics library, see Seam carving.
"Butterfly stitch" redirects here. For the musical group, see Vanessa Olivarez.
"Stitching" redirects here. For the process of combining multiple images, see image stitching.
Early 20th century sewing in Detroit, Michigan
Early 20th century sewing in Detroit, Michigan
Using a modern sewing machine
Using a modern sewing machine

Sewing is the stitching of cloth, leather, furs, bark, or other materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Paleolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth.

Sewing is used primarily to produce clothing and household furnishings such as curtains, bedclothes, upholstery, and table linens. It is also used for sails, bellows, skin boats, banners, and other items shaped out of flexible materials such as canvas and leather.

Most sewing in the industrial world is done by machines. Pieces of a garment are often first tacked together. The machine has a complex set of gears and arms that pierces thread through the layers of the cloth and semi-securely interlocks the thread.

Some people sew clothes for themselves and their families. More often home sewers sew to repair clothes, such as mending a torn seam or replacing a loose button. A person who sews for a living is known as a seamstress or seamster (from seamsmistress or seamsmaster), dressmaker, tailor, or garment worker.

"Plain" sewing is done for functional reasons: making or mending clothing or household linens. "Fancy" sewing is primarily decorative, including techniques such as shirring, smocking, embroidery, or quilting.

Sewing is the foundation for many needle arts and crafts, such as applique, canvas work, and patchwork.

While sewing is often seen as a low-skill job, the task of designing good-looking three-dimensional shapes from non-stretching two-dimensional fabric generally requires extensive hands-on knowledge of the design and principles of mathematical manifolds. Flat sheets of fabric with holes and slits cut into the fabric can curve and fold in 3D space in extensively complex ways that require a high level of skill and experience to manipulate into a smooth, ripple-free design. Aligning and orienting patterns printed or woven into the fabric further complicates the design process. Once a clothing designer with these skills has created the initial product, the fabric can then be cut using templates and sewn by manual laborers or machines.

Contents

[edit] Seam allowance

Seam allowance is the area between the edge of the fabric and the line of stitching. It is usually 1.5cm away from the edge of the fabric.

[edit] Occupations requiring sewing

Seamstresses at a factory, 1904
Seamstresses at a factory, 1904

[edit] Sewing tools and accessories

Sewing box with sewing notions
Sewing box with sewing notions

[edit] Notions (objects sewn into garments or soft goods)

[edit] Closures

[edit] Finishing and embellishment

[edit] List of stitches

The two main stitches of which the others are derivatives are Cross Stitch and Butterfly

[edit] References

  • Elissa Meyrich (2006). RIP IT!: How to Deconstruct and Reconstruct the Clothes of Your Dreams. New York: Fireside. 
  • Elissa Meyrich (2002). Sew Fast Sew Easy: All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. 
  • Susan Huxley (1999). Sewing Secrets from the Fashion Industry: Proven Methods to Help You Sew Like the Pros. New York: Rodale Publishing. 
  • Singer: The New Sewing Essentials by The Editors of Creative Publishing International ISBN 0-86573-308-2

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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Sewing
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