A to F
- Bias
- The diagonal direction across woven fabric, which has the most stretch.
- Bobbin
- The small spool that holds the lower thread under the needle plate.
- Bobbin case
- Holder for the bobbin in front-loading machines, with its own tension screw.
- Coverstitch
- Parallel rows of stitching on top with a looped chain underneath, used for knit hems.
- Denier
- Fibre weight in grams per 9,000 metres; in tights, lower is sheerer.
- Differential feed
- Two feed dogs moving at different speeds to stop knits stretching or fine fabric puckering.
- Feed dogs
- The toothed bars under the foot that move fabric along.
- Framework knitting
- Knitting on a hand-operated stocking frame, the origin of the hosiery trade.
- Fully fashioned
- Knitwear knitted to shape and then linked, rather than cut from fabric.
G to O
- Hook
- The rotating part that catches the needle thread to form a lockstitch.
- Hosier
- A maker or seller of hosiery.
- Interfacing
- A layer that adds structure to collars, cuffs and facings.
- Latch needle
- The needle type used in most knitting machines.
- Linking
- Joining knitted pieces loop to loop, used in fully fashioned knitwear and sock toes.
- Lockstitch
- The standard machine stitch, formed by needle and bobbin threads interlocking.
- Looper
- The parts in an overlocker that carry the lower threads.
- Overlocker (serger)
- A machine that seams, trims and neatens an edge in one pass.
P to Z
- Presser foot
- Holds fabric against the feed dogs; many specialist feet exist.
- Selvedge
- The finished edge of woven fabric that doesn’t fray.
- Servo motor
- A quiet, efficient motor for industrial machines with fine speed control.
- Shank
- The way feet attach: low, high or slant shank, or snap-on.
- Tension
- The balance between upper and lower threads that makes an even stitch.
- Throat space
- The distance from the needle to the machine body, important for quilts.
- Walking foot
- A foot with its own feed teeth that moves layers evenly.
- Wadding (batting)
- The middle layer of a quilt.
Need help with a machine?
If a term in your manual still puzzles you, a specialist can help. PK Sewing Machines in Leicester has worked with machines since 1982, in a city steeped in hosiery heritage.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
