Check Your Answers: After You Read

Chapter 27: Preparing to Sew

Section 27.1

Review Key Concepts
1. Machine needles must be of different sizes and thicknesses depending on the type of fabric on which you’re working. Numbered sizes range from 1 to 12.

2. How to thread a sewing machine: 1. Raise the presser foot and the needle. 2. Place the spool of thread on the spool pin. 3. Lead thread through all threading points. 4. Thread tension discs. 5. Run the thread through the take-up lever from right to left. 6. Thread needle.

3. The serger’s cutting knives could fl y out, or the pins could fl y out of the material and cause injury.

Practice Academic Skills
4. Include traits such as patience, ability to listen, ability to interpret written instructions and diagrams, manual dexterity, sharp eyes, persistence and self-motivation.

Section 27.2

Review Key Concepts
1. How appropriate is the fabric for your pattern and your sewing skills? How will the fabric look on you? What kind of care will the fabric need?

2. A fabric’s crosswise and lengthwise grains must be square (at right angles to each other) when you cut out your pattern; otherwise, the finished garment may not hang properly.

3. When positioning pattern pieces: 1. Circle the layout you are using on the pattern guide sheet. 2. Check the layout instructions carefully. 3. Fold the fabric as shown in the layout diagram. 4. Position any large pattern pieces that go on the fold first. Then position remaining pattern pieces so that their grain line symbols are straight on the fabric grain. Pin the pieces securely.

Practice Academic Skills
4. Bias, for example, can be a line diagonal to the grain of a fabric and a sometimes unreasonable judgment.