Shaping

Spandex

A lightweight synthetic fiber

Shaping

All garments contain shaping methods (darts or dart equivalents) that control the way the garment fits the contours of the body -The methods used to shape the garment, the location and the amount of added shaping affect the garment's fit and style

Casings

Also an edge finish; fold over edges or applied strips that hide elastic or drawstring

Application of elastic

Applied directly to garments using a 300 lockstitch or 500 overedge stitch

Knitted elastic

Similar with braided but lighter weight and inexpensive

Single pointed darts

Start from any seam and occur at any angle so long as it points towards the fullest part of its assigned body curve

Dart equivalents

Substitute for darts by incorporating shape into the garment in a variety of ways: 1) Shaped seams 2) Added fullness (gathers, pleats, tucks, gores, godets) 3) Dart substitutes (gathers, shirring, smocking, elastic, drawstrings)

Shaped seams: Yokes

Horizontal divisions within a garment that are used instead of darts

Double pointed darts (contour darts)

Look like two single-pointed darts joined at the wide ends to form one continuous dart Designers usually use them: -Vertically -In garments with no waistline

Ease

Minimal fullness that is drawn up and stitched into a sleeve -does not show

Shaped seams: Princess seam

Most commonly used

Woven elastic

Retains is original width when stretched

Elastic

Used for drawing up a long piece of fabric to a shorter length (usually the opening of the garment) -Thread, cord, braided or woven ribbon, or fabric that has resilience and flexibility

Braided elastic

Becomes narrower when stretched and will not run

Shaped seams

Darts are transformed into seams

Released darts

Darts left partially or fully unstitched

Pleats

Decorative folds of fabric that add fullness to a garment, stitched together at the top or along the side of a seam -Flat pleats -Dimensional pleats

French darts

Diagonal bust darts that originate low in the side seams directed toward the bust curve

Tucks

Pleats stitched down on a garment

Gathers/shirring

Tiny folds of fabric formed by evenly gathering the fabric

Darts

Triangular folds stitched to shape the fabric to the curves of the body -Enable a 2D fabric to become a 3D garment -Are almost always stitched inside the garment so that the triangular fold of the dart appears inside the garment

Gores

Vertical divisions within a garment sewn together to add shape and fullness to a garment