Glossary - S

Satin
Silk, rayon, synthetics. Originated in China (Zaytoun, China - now Canton - a port from which satins were exported during the Middle Ages). Became known in Europe during the XIIth, and XIIIth Centuries in Italy. Became known in England by the XIVth Century. It became a favorite of all court life because of its exquisite qualities and feel. Usually has a lustrous surface and a dull back. The lustre is produced by running it between hot cylinders.

Scissors
Many stitchers just use regular sewing scissors for their work. I find they are fine for trimming the fabric to proper dimensions for sewing, but I prefer the curved needlework scissors for trimming threads. There are many different styles of needlework scissors available, such as stork scissors and bent blade scissors.

Seam Ripper
The mistake fixer, this little utensil has a sharp point that makes removing stitches easier.

Sequins
Small round flat pieces of shiny metal or plastic sewn onto clothing to add shimmer and reflect light.

Sew
Sewing is an ancient craft involving the stitching of cloth, leather, animal skins, furs, or other materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Palaeolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth.

Sewing
Sewing is an ancient craft involving the stitching of cloth, leather, animal skins, furs, or other materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Palaeolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth.

Sewing Machine
Any machine that uses a needle or needles to form a stitch by interlocking or interlooping threads through the fabric. Lockstitch sewing machines use a hook and a bobbin thread to form the stitch. Chainstitch, overedge, and safety stitch machines use a looper to form stitches. Blindstitch and some buttonsewers and buttonhole machines use a spreader to form stitches.

Shears
A pair of shears is any scissors-type tool of relatively large size. Like scissors, shears combine slightly offset jaws to cut material through physical shear, and combine this with levers to apply a considerable shear force. Shears are usually intended for cutting much heavier material than scissors though.

Silk
Silk is a natural protein fibre that can be woven into textiles. It is obtained from the cocoon of the silkworm larva, in the process known as sericulture, which kills the larvae.

Skein
A continuous length of yarn or cord of any desired length, in the form of a collapsible coil.

Slipknot
A slip knot (or running knot) is one of two different classes of knot. The most common are knots which attach a line to an object and intentionally tighten when tension is applied to the free end of the line. The other is a type of knot designed to bind one end of a rope to the middle of another, while allowing the knot to slide along the rope.

Smocking
A tightly gathered section of material, usually elasticated for comfort and decoratively stitched. Mainly used in the bust area of a dress though also a popular detail to the waist and cuffs.

Snap
A fastener used on clothing.

Spinning
Spinning is the process of creating yarn (or thread, rope, cable) from various raw fibre materials. Several fibres are twisted together to bind them into a strong, long yarn. Characteristics of the yarn vary based on the material used, fibre length and alignment, quantity of fibre used and degree of twist. The earliest spinning probably involved simply twisting the fibres in the hand. Later the use of a stick to help twist the fibre was introduced....

Stencil
A sheet of celluloid, cardboard, or other material in which a design has been cut so that when the ink or paint is passed over the sheet the pattern will be reproduced on the surface placed below. Serigraph: An original silk-screen colour print. Silk-screen: A stencil process in which colouring matter is forced onto the material to be printed through the meshes of a silk or organdy screen so prepared as to have pervious printing areas and impervious nonprinting areas.

Stitch
To sew, staple or otherwise fasten together by means of thread or wire the leaves or signatures of a book or pamphlet. The different styles of stitching are; double stitch, where two loops of a single thread are fastened in the centre of the fold....

Stockinette
or stocking stitch A pattern consisting of alternating rows of knit (plain) and purl stitches; one of the foundations of knitting.

Suede
Suede is a type of specialised leather used to make boots, clothing and fashion accessories such as handbags. Suede is actually a type of very soft leather made from calfskin. Unlike standard leather, suede has a 'brushed' texture and resembles fabric.

Sweater
A sweater, pullover, jumper or jersey is a relatively heavy garment intended to cover the torso and arms of the human body (though in some cases sweaters are made for dogs and occasionally other animals) and typically supposed to go over a shirt, blouse, t-shirt or other top. Sweaters tend to be, and in earlier times always were, made from wool (typically of sheep, though possibly of alpaca or other type), however, they can be made of cotton, artificial fabrics or some combination thereof.