Fashion Design Garment Construction 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the standard seam allowance used in most commercial sewing patterns in the United States?
- 1/4 inch
- 3/8 inch
- 5/8 inch (Correct answer)
- 1 inch
Correct answer: 5/8 inch
The industry standard seam allowance in US commercial patterns is 5/8 inch (approximately 1.5 cm), which provides enough fabric for adjustments and finishing.
Question 2: What is 'ease' in garment construction?
- Extra fabric added beyond body measurements to allow movement and comfort (Correct answer)
- A technique for gathering fabric
- The process of ironing a seam flat
- A type of lightweight interfacing
Correct answer: Extra fabric added beyond body measurements to allow movement and comfort
Ease is the difference between actual body measurements and the garment's finished measurements, providing room for movement and comfort without restricting the wearer.
Question 3: What is the purpose of 'stay-stitching' in garment construction?
- To permanently join two fabric pieces
- To prevent curved or bias-cut edges from stretching before assembly (Correct answer)
- To create decorative topstitching
- To reinforce button placements
Correct answer: To prevent curved or bias-cut edges from stretching before assembly
Stay-stitching is a single line of stitching sewn within the seam allowance of curved or bias edges to stabilize them and prevent distortion during handling.
Question 4: What is a 'dart' in garment construction?
- A type of decorative embroidery stitch
- A folded, stitched tuck that removes excess fabric to shape garments to the body (Correct answer)
- A reinforcement at a pocket opening
- A type of zipper closure technique
Correct answer: A folded, stitched tuck that removes excess fabric to shape garments to the body
A dart is a triangular or diamond-shaped fold of fabric stitched to a point, used to shape flat fabric to fit the three-dimensional curves of the body.
Question 5: Which stitching technique creates a smooth, invisible hem finish on the inside of a garment?
- Lockstitch hem
- Blind hem stitch (Correct answer)
- Chain stitch hem
- Zigzag hem
Correct answer: Blind hem stitch
The blind hem stitch is nearly invisible on the right side of fabric, catching only one or two threads of the outer fabric while securing the hem allowance on the inside.
Question 6: What is the function of 'interfacing' in garment construction?
- To add decorative texture to the fabric surface
- To stabilize and add structure to specific areas like collars, cuffs, and waistbands (Correct answer)
- To join two separate fabric layers permanently
- To add waterproofing to outerwear
Correct answer: To stabilize and add structure to specific areas like collars, cuffs, and waistbands
Interfacing is a secondary material applied to the wrong side of fashion fabric to provide support, firmness, and shape retention in structural areas of a garment.
Fashion Design Garment Construction 1
What is the standard seam allowance used in most commercial sewing patterns in the United States?