Question

Define the term ‘Truing'.

Hint:

Never cut your fabric before truing your paper patterns. If you skip this step, you may end up with mismatched seams, uneven hems, or puckered intersections during assembly.

Answer 1

Step 1: Primary Definition:
Truing is a critical quality-control process in pattern drafting and garment construction. It involves checking, correcting, and smoothing seam lines on a flat paper pattern to ensure they align perfectly and match in length when sewn together.

Step 2: Core Applications:
Truing ensures that:

• Seam Matching: Adjacent panels that must be stitched together (e.g., front and back shoulder seams, side bodice seams) are of exactly the same length.
• Continuous Lines: Intersecting curves (e.g., where a sleeve seam joins an armhole, or where side seams meet the hem) form continuous, smooth curves and neat right angles without any jagged, stepped, or uneven edges when flat.
• Dart Corrections: Dart legs are of equal length, and the folded dart cap forms a smooth line along the seam allowance.