Sewing Techniques

noun a decorative design made of one material sewn or glued onto another

verb to sew or attach a decorative design onto a piece of fabric

• The dress was beautifully embellished with intricate applique work.
• I love how the applique adds a pop of color to this plain shirt.
• That applique patch on your backpack is so cool!
• She used applique as a metaphor for the layers of complexity in the story.

noun a slit or loop through which a button is passed to fasten a garment

verb to make a buttonhole in (a garment)

• The tailor carefully sewed a buttonhole on the lapel of the suit jacket.
• I struggled to button my shirt through the tiny buttonhole.
• Hey, can you help me with this buttonhole? It's driving me crazy!
• She managed to buttonhole the CEO at the networking event and pitch her idea.

adjective positioned or directed across something

adverb in a way that is positioned or directed across something

• The fabric was cut crosswise to create a unique pattern.
• She folded the paper crosswise before putting it in the envelope.
• I like to wear my hat tilted crosswise for a cool look.
• His decision to switch careers was a crosswise move that surprised everyone.

noun a band or strip of material worn around the wrist for decoration or to fasten clothing

verb to strike someone with an open hand, especially on the head or ear

• The police officer placed the suspect in handcuffs and then secured a cuff around his ankle.
• I accidentally ripped the cuff of my shirt while trying to fix it.
• She's always wearing those cute cuff bracelets, they look so cool.
• The company was accused of trying to cuff the competition by using unethical business practices.

noun a small metal ring used to reinforce such a hole

• The tailor carefully sewed the eyelet onto the fabric for the lace to go through.
• I love the eyelet detailing on this dress, it adds a nice touch.
• Check out these cool shoes with the eyelet design, they're so trendy.
• She had a sharp eyelet for detail, always noticing the smallest things.

noun the act of playing a musical instrument by pressing the keys or strings with the fingers

verb to play a musical instrument by pressing the keys or strings with the fingers

• The musician demonstrated proper fingering technique on the piano during the recital.
• She's been practicing her fingering on the guitar for hours.
• I heard he's really good at fingering on the drums.
• The detective was skilled at fingering out the truth in the midst of all the lies.

verb To handle or play something clumsily or ineffectively, often resulting in a mistake or failure.

• The quarterback muffed the pass, resulting in a turnover.
• I totally muffed my presentation at work today.
• She muffed her chance to impress the recruiter during the interview.
• He muffed his opportunity to apologize and make things right.

noun a painful or sharp sensation typically caused by something being squeezed or compressed

verb to steal something, typically in a quick and secretive manner

• She added a pinch of salt to the soup for extra flavor.
• Can you pass me the salt? I just need a pinch for my dish.
• I'll just add a pinch of this secret ingredient to make it pop.
• He felt a pinch in his heart when he saw his childhood home being torn down.

noun a self-finished edge of fabric, especially on a woven fabric

• The selvage of the fabric is carefully stitched to prevent fraying.
• I love the look of the selvage on this denim jacket.
• Check out the cool selvage on these jeans!
• She considered her flaws to be the selvage of her personality, adding character and uniqueness.

noun the action or activity of stitching fabrics together to create garments or other items

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

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• She spent hours perfecting her sewing techniques to create beautifully crafted garments.
• I'm thinking of taking up sewing as a hobby to make my own clothes.
• I'm gonna whip up a new outfit by doing some sewing tonight.
• Sewing together the pieces of the puzzle, she finally understood the bigger picture.

noun a fast pace or speed

adjective describing something that is moving or happening quickly