Notches

Small marks or cuts on the edge of a pattern that indicate reference points so the pieces are joined correctly when sewing.

Notches keep a sleeve or a collar from ending up in the wrong place when sewing: they mark, for example, where the shoulder starts or where the center of one piece matches another.

Example

A sleeve pattern usually has a notch at the top center (which matches the shoulder) and different notches at the front and back so the two sides are not confused.

See the full glossary.