Sewing Glossary

Key Sewing Terms

The world of sewing is one that is growing evermore complex. There is a booming market filled with all sorts of specialty sewing machines that can perform tasks faster and more accurately than even a practiced hand. Here is a quick look at key terms ever sewer should know.

• Sewing machine: An appliance that greatly increases the speed with which sewing projects can be completed. These machines can complete innumerable functions that range from simple stitches to complicated, computerized embroidery.
• Serger: A machine that not only can sew faster than the traditional sewing machine, but can also create perfect seams while simultaneously cutting away the excess fabric. Sergers are great machines for speedy industrial production.
• Overlock Machine: Simply another name for a serger.
• Embroidery machine: A computerized sewing machine that is capable of holding many complicated designs and patterns used for embroidery in its memory.
• Quilting machine: A sewing machine especially made for quilting. The large area to the right if the needle is designed to accompany a large amount of rolled fabric as the quilt is fed through the machine. Many are now computerized and have specialized accessories meant to deal with the thick fabric of quilts.
• Computerized sewing machine: One of the most useful innovations to sewing machines in the past decades, computerized sewing machines can make even the most complicated process easier. These machines are capable of storing self-made stitches and dozens of different patterns.