This document defines key terminology used in garment draping. It provides concise definitions for over 50 terms related to processes like cutting, pinning, slashing and marking fabric during pattern development. Some key terms defined include drape, trueing, grain, notch, dart, ease, style line, and vanishing point. The document serves as a reference for understanding the specialized language of draping garments on dress forms or models.

1. GARMENT DRAPING
TERMINOLOGY
R.S.BALAKUMAR
FACULTY/School of fashion design& Arts
HINDUSTAN UNIVERSITY

2. Drape - Draping
The process of cutting, pinning, slashing, and marking muslin or fabric in developing a
pattern or design on the
model form or live figure.
Cutting
-The preparation of a determined length ar
width of muslin or fabric to drape a garment section
Pinning
-The process of anchoring the fabric to the model
form on structural, guide and grain lines; the process of
securing fabric while developing pattern shape, deta
and perimeter lines.
Slashing
-The clipping of muslin or fabric towards the
pinned perimeter of the area being draped to relieve fabric tension and facilitate subsequent
draping
procedure.
Marking
-The recording, while on the model form, of the perimeter, intersecting lines, and pattern
details in preparation for trueing.

3. • Apex
• Highest point of a bust on a dress form or live
model. Reference point for establishing the
cross grain position on the front bodice
• Balance
• The matching of grains and adjacent pattern
sections

4. • Bias
• A line diagonally across the
grain of the fabric that offers
the considerable amount of
stretch ability.
• True bias means at a 45
degree angle

5. • Blend
• A technique that helps to
form a smooth, continuous
line .
• smoothly shapes variation of
arks or dots made on the
muslin fabric drape.

6. • Blocking
• 1. A technique to shape fabric
by puling and dealing it on
grain while pressing it with
steam ironing process.
2. A bock is a master pattern
or sloper

7. • Break Point
• The point of a controlled turn,
roll, or flare, usually relating
to coat, jacket, lapels,
• shawl collars, revere collars,
and notched collars are the
suitable examples.

8. • Center Back
• A defined place that indicates
the exact center of the pattern
part or garment in relation to
the true centre front of the
human figure.

9. • Centre Front
• A defined place that indicates
the exact centre of the pattern
part or garment in relation to
the true centre front of the
figure.

10. • Clip
• A small cut into the seam
allowance that extends almost
to the stitch line. Which
normally releases strain and
helps the seam portion lay
flat.

11. • Concave Curve
• An inside curved seam
forming an inward arc, as in
armholes or necklines portion.

12. • Convex Curve
• An outward curved seam
forming a rounded curve, as
on the outer edge of scallops,
caplets, Peter Pan collars, and
shawl collars of the garments.

13. • Crease
• Folding and finger pressing the
fabric along the grain or
structural line.
• Cross mark
• A mark or set of marks placed on a drape
or pattern portion to indicate the point
at which corresponding pieces or
garment sections are to be matched,
shirred, or joined.

14. • Crosswise Grain "Cross grain“.
• The section of fabric weave that
runs perpendicular to the lengthwise
grain of the fabric from selvage to
selvage.(picks)
• Crotch Seam
• The curved seam that is formed at
the point where pant legs are joined
together.

15. • Cut in one
• Two or more pattern sections
that are cut as one piece, for
example is the attached front
facing with the bodice or
blouse front, or a sleeve with a
bodice portion.

16. • Dart
• A design and fitting feature used to
take up excess fabric of a specified
width and taper it to nothing at one
or both ends. Aids in fitting the
garment over the body contour.
• Dart Legs
• The stitch line on both sides of the
dart.

17. • Dot
• A pencil mark is placed on a
draped muslin or self fabric to
register the seam lines or style
lines.
• Used as the guide mark for
trueing.

18. • Ease of seam
• The even distribution of very
slight fullness when one section
of a seam is joined to a slightly
shorter section without forming
gathers or tucks.
• Used to shape set-in sleeves,
princess seams, and other areas
of the garment.

19. • Ease Allowance
• The amount of excess fabric
added to the draped pattern to
make garments more
comfortable and allow for
affordable easier movement.
• Due to this factor wearer feel
more comfort.

20. • Fabric Excess
• The amount of extra fabric
manipulated into designated
areas of the garment portion
to help the create body shape
and garment style lines.
• Fold a fabric ply that doubles
back on itself.

21. • Gather
• To draw up fabric fullness on a
line of stitching areas.
• Grain
• The direction of the yarns in a
fabric, warp and weft.

22. • Guidelines on Muslin
• Directional lines and markings that indicate
the grain, cross grain, center front, center
back, shoulder blade, bust level, apex, hip
level, and side seam. These lines are drawn
on the prepared muslin to facilitate correct
draping.
• Lengthwise Grain
• Threads that run parallel to the selvedge of
the fabric.
• Also known as the "warp" (ends)or "straight
of grain"

23. • Master Pattern
• Basic pattern, made from
specific measurements to be
used as a template for tracing
rather than cutting.
• Match
• To bring together notches or
other construction markings on
two pieces.

24. • Model Form
•
• A criterion identical of a human upper and lower torso, set on a
movable, height-
adjustable stand.
-To measure and setup the sloper or master pattern.
-To establish an original pattern.
-To form a garment from fabric.
-To fit sample garments as per dress form sizes.
-To alter the garments.
-To establish hemline on garments.
Model form (dress form)is available in a range of standard sizes,
height
and figure types; according to measurements of a particular size
and type of figure for a manufacturer's line;
customized to specifications of individuals or manufacturers.

25. • Muslin Shell
• A basic sample garment is normally made from
the muslin fabric as an aid during the styling and
fitting process.
• Notch
• Mark placed on drape or pattern to indicate the
position where corresponding garment sections
are to be matched together and sewn and to
identify various parts of the drape or pattern
• Panel parts.
• A re measured piece of muslin used to drape a
specific design. Usually 4-10 inches larger than
the finished length and width of the pattern
piece.

26. • Pivot
• The shifting or moving of a pattern from a
specified marked position toward a
designated guidline.
• Ply-single
• One layer of fabric when laying out fabric to
be cut is called single ply.
• Princess Panel
• The area of the dress form that extends
from the princess seams to the armholes
and side seams of the upper torso.

27. • Shirring
• Gather up fabric on the stitch line where the fullness in
the garment is desired. Sometimes thought of as
multiple rows of gathers will be formed.
• Side Seam
• A defined place on a pattern or garment that indicates
the point at which the front and back of a garment is
sewn together,upper torso side part and lower torso
side part.
• Slash
• A straight cut from the outer edge of the fabric into
the style line of the garment. Made to relieve tension,
allowing drape to fit around contour of the body.

28. • Squared Line
• A straight line drawn
perpendicular from another line.
Use an L-squared ruler.
• Stitch Line
• The line designated for stitching
the seam, generally 5/8”,
½”,3/8” or 1/4 inch from the cut
edge of the garment patterns.

29. • Style line
• Any seam line other than the shoulder seam.
armhole seam, or side portion seam. Usually
runs from one point of the garment to
another point.
• Transferring
• The process of pinning and tracing all the
fabric markings onto the pattern paper.
• Trim
• To cut away excess fabric and make the
seam narrower after it has been stitched.
• Removes unwanted bulk and excess fabric.

30. • Trueing
• The process of blending the markings, dots, and
cross marks made during the draping process.
• Trueing establishes continuous seams, style
lines, and darts or dart variations.
• Underlay
• The underside of a draped design that is made
when establishing darts, pleats, and extensions.
• Vanishing Point
• The tapered finished point of a dart in the
garment portion.