Author Topic: A place to discover what all the acronyms mean (Read 6534 times)

TraceyG · « **on:** May 07, 2009, 06:42:10 AM »

I am very new to this forum and have learned a great deal reading the posts by all of you wonderful experienced sewists; but can someone tell me how to discover what the initials you use mean. For example, DH?

ejvc · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2009, 06:53:01 AM »

DH = dear husband; DD = dear daughter; DS = dear son etc. So you don't have to use their names.
OTOH = on the other hand
IMHO = in my humble opinion

I think an ordinary dictionary of web slang (I'm sure one exists, though I don't know where it is) will help with most things. The sewing-related ones are more tricky. Off the top of my head, I can think of:
TNT = tried-and-true. A pattern you've worked with before that fits and flatters.
SAs = seam allowances
CF/CB = centre front, centre back.

Liana · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2009, 08:43:50 AM »

Hi Tracey, It is confusing at first, and sometimes later as well.

You'll see a lot of acronyms here that aren't on regular web sites because they're sewing-specific. Some are pretty obvious, like V1947, which would be shorthand for Vogue Pattern #1947, or similar things. Some of the independant pattern lines name their patterns rather than using numbers, and it can be pretty confusing to try to figure out what ABO is for example, but that's Louise Cutting's Anything But Ordinary pattern. I still have to think a while to figure out some of them that I don't see often.

SB for Sandra Betzina
CS for Claire Schaeffer
FFRP is the Palmer/Pletsch Fit For Real People book

You'll see lots of things like that, and if you can't figure out what they mean, just ask. There are probably several other people reading who are hoping someone will ask so they will know, too.

karent · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2009, 11:27:25 AM »

It's simpler and easier to ask. I recall when I first came on here reading a thread about "BH"s, and I hate to tell you what I thought they were talking about. Turns out it was buttonholes.

K

Karendee · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2009, 02:24:39 PM »

What is PMB, the software for pattern making? I know WG and MBL, but the PMB escapes me.

Thanks,
Karen

Lisa · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:27:44 PM »

Quote from: Karendee on May 07, 2009, 02:24:39 PM

What is PMB, the software for pattern making? I know WG and MBL, but the PMB escapes me.

Thanks,
Karen

Hi Karen!

PMB = Pattern Master Boutique, the software made by WG (Wild Ginger)

Liana · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2009, 09:16:20 PM »

And don't forget

WOF: Burda World of Fashion magazine
MSB: Mrs Stylebook - Japanese pattern mag
LMB: La Mia Boutique
FSG: Fashion Sewing Group (Nancy Erickson's patterns)
NZ: Nancy Ziemann

vtmartha · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2009, 03:35:51 AM »

Maybe we should change the name of this thread to "This is the place ... ."

It would be handy to add to and have available.

BeeBee · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:30:36 AM »

I know some sites have "Sticky" topics that stay at the top of the list. Can this site/software do this? It would be a handy reference that the acronyms could just be added to as they come up.

Mike · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:43:20 AM »

Quote from: BeeBee on May 08, 2009, 04:30:36 AM

I know some sites have "Sticky" topics that stay at the top of the list. Can this site/software do this? It would be a handy reference that the acronyms could just be added to as they come up.

I was just about to suggest this- SMF does have Sticky capabilities.

LauraS. · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:58:53 AM »

I can never remember what NAYY means. Not associated..........

laura

Carole · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:32:50 AM »

Yada Yada. (Yankee for "and so on, and so on").

LizGo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:46:54 AM »

CLICK HERE In case you want to know abreviations not stictly for sewing. FYI

Liz

Karendee · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:03:49 AM »

Thanks, Lisa!

Karen

Karen Roth · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:10:31 AM »

Can't believe this one hasn't been mentioned unless I missed it since it's so common (not on MY clothes though...

)

FBA -- Full bust adjustment

UFO -- Unfinished objects
SWAP -- Sewing with a Plan
A new one along those lines -- WIAK -- Wardrobe in a week

And "D" doesn't always have to stand for "Dear"....

TraceyG · « **Reply #15 on:** May 09, 2009, 04:44:40 PM »

Thank you all for your responses. Now that you have explained a few of them, it becomes easier to figure others out and as someone suggested, from now on, I'll just ask!
Tracey

Mauigirl · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2009, 10:48:00 AM »

Tracy, you have done many of us a huge favour. I usually read the other postings to try to figure it out, asking is so much smarter!

Nora · « **Reply #17 on:** April 19, 2010, 05:28:57 AM »

RTW = ready to wear

IRL i= reall life

OTOH = on the other hand

NSDH = not so dear husband (this may be one that I made up LOL)

I know there are more I just cant think at the moment! Which would bring me to

CRS= cant remember s#&!

Nora

shams · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2010, 09:56:05 AM »

Before Karen added it, I was thinking FBA is one I use all the time. But there is the opposite:

SBA - small bust adjustment

and

OOP - out of print

I third the vote to make a sticky for acronyms.

Marcia just used NE the other day and I don't know what that means.

Karen Roth · « **Reply #19 on:** April 19, 2010, 11:12:12 AM »

Quote from: shams on April 19, 2010, 09:56:05 AM

Before Karen added it, I was thinking FBA is one I use all the time. But there is the opposite:

SBA - small bust adjustment

and

OOP - out of print

I third the vote to make a sticky for acronyms.

Marcia just used NE the other day and I don't know what that means.

How funny since I make or check for a SBA on nearly everything! Didn't even think about it.
I think NE may be Nancy Ericson.

marciae · « **Reply #20 on:** April 20, 2010, 06:01:03 AM »

Quote from: shams on April 19, 2010, 09:56:05 AM

Before Karen added it, I was thinking FBA is one I use all the time. But there is the opposite:

SBA - small bust adjustment

and

OOP - out of print

I third the vote to make a sticky for acronyms.

Marcia just used NE the other day and I don't know what that means.

Nancy Erickson is right. I always use the initials of the independent pattern Co!!

Hen · « **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2011, 08:13:04 AM »

I just learnt a new acronym on a German sewing website. "Nano" is a close relative of the UFO and stands for not startet object (or better of course "nicht angefangenes Objekt").
Like my softshell jacket, for which I had the fabric, the pattern, the zippers, thread and lining all neatly and complete in a box and still it took me one and a half years to get started with it.
On that website they have "motivation months", and this was the topic last month.
Maybe we can establish a new english acronym for this, for example NIP for Not Initiated Project.
If you have a name for something, it is easier to deal with it!

BeeBee · « **Reply #22 on:** June 27, 2011, 09:19:43 AM »

Quote from: Hen on June 27, 2011, 08:13:04 AM

I just learnt a new acronym on a German sewing website. "Nano" is a close relative of the UFO and stands for not startet object (or better of course "nicht angefangenes Objekt").
Like my softshell jacket, for which I had the fabric, the pattern, the zippers, thread and lining all neatly and complete in a box and still it took me one and a half years to get started with it.
On that website they have "motivation months", and this was the topic last month.
Maybe we can establish a new english acronym for this, for example NIP for Not Initiated Project.
If you have a name for something, it is easier to deal with it!

I like NIP - and have a few of those lying around

lydia · « **Reply #23 on:** July 12, 2011, 09:06:33 AM »

Have I been living under a rock??? What does ITY knit mean?.............Lydia

Lisa · « **Reply #24 on:** July 12, 2011, 09:11:44 AM »

Quote from: lydia on July 12, 2011, 09:06:33 AM

Have I been living under a rock??? What does ITY knit mean?.............Lydia

Nope! I had the same question, and someone else was kind enough to ask it here. So that others will be able to find it on this thread, "Interlock Twist(ed) Yarns" (although one of the guesses was "It's Totally Yummy"

).

Lisa

shams · « **Reply #25 on:** July 12, 2011, 12:23:29 PM »

It's true, Lydia, that technology marches forward, even in the sewing realm and particularly in fiber technology. When I returned to sewing there were so many new fabrics and ITY is one I also had to look up.

lydia · « **Reply #26 on:** July 12, 2011, 12:57:50 PM »

Thanks everyone. I was totally in the dark and kept reading hoping I could find out on my own. I guess the old adage "he who hesitates is lost" :-\applies here......................Lydia

Doobee64 · « **Reply #27 on:** December 30, 2011, 01:40:18 AM »

So glad I found this little discussion - was starting to feel a little on the 'daggy' side with my blog, always referring to my daughter as 'Daughter' and husband as 'Hubby'. Now I am going to be Internet abbreviating with the best of them... SYNT

Alessandra · « **Reply #28 on:** April 17, 2012, 07:06:18 PM »

Quote from: Karen Roth on May 08, 2009, 09:10:31 AM

Can't believe this one hasn't been mentioned unless I missed it since it's so common (not on MY clothes though... )

FBA -- Full bust adjustment

UFO -- Unfinished objects
SWAP -- Sewing with a Plan
A new one along those lines -- WIAK -- Wardrobe in a week

And "D" doesn't always have to stand for "Dear"....

I apologise for my appalling ignorance, but what is a "full bust adjustment?" I'm afraid I was never taught to sew, but learned it on my own, and a lot of the language is unclear to me.

And what, please, is the "SW" that people refer to as if it were some other board? Because it's inobvious to me and I'm afraid I can't work it out.

Lisa · « **Reply #29 on:** April 17, 2012, 07:31:15 PM »

Quote from: Alessandra on April 17, 2012, 07:06:18 PM

I apologise for my appalling ignorance, but what is a "full bust adjustment?"

Most (but not all) pattern lines design with a b-cup bust size in mind. Those of us who are more "generously" endowed, need to make an adjustment to those patterns to accommodate our fuller bustlines. Some simply get a larger pattern, and then reduce the size of the shoulders, neckline, etc. Most people think that it's easier to choose the pattern size based on the high bust measurement (high under the arms) or some other method intended to get the right size through the shoulders, neck, etc. Then make the pattern larger to accommodate the fuller bust. That's why FBAs are so regularly discussed.

Quote from: Alessandra on April 17, 2012, 07:06:18 PM

And what, please, is the "SW" that people refer to as if it were some other board? Because it's inobvious to me and I'm afraid I can't work it out.

Sewing World ("SW") was a predecessor site which slowly failed. This site was begun so that those of us active there would have a place to continue the discussions and community begun there. SW isn't accessible any longer (unless you use one of the methods of acessing historical material on the web).

HTH,

Lisa

shams · « **Reply #30 on:** April 17, 2012, 07:31:53 PM »

Alessandra,

SW = The Sewing Workshop - a pattern company

Patterns are, or the most part, designed for women with a size B cup. If you have a larger cup size, you may need to do a full bust adjustment on the pattern so that it will fit properly.

Penwalk · « **Reply #31 on:** April 22, 2013, 11:18:41 AM »

It is common in today's communication to use acronyms. However, they are most unfriendly to persons new to the industry, new to the hobby, or new to the English language.

acronym: a word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words

Not to pick on them, but to give you an example. There is a discussion topic for Nancy Erickson/FSG Patterns & Newsletter 6. I like to explore independent pattern designers, so I went to read their discussion. After a bit of reading, I still did not know what FSG stood for, so I quit reading.

There could be someone who really needs and wants to learn about the Full Bust Adjustment, but no idea what FBA means.

Communication is only effective when people get your message. From now on, I will be more aware when I start to type an acronym. If you do use one, it is important to add a footnote to explain it's meaning or include the full phrase in your first use of it.

Pina · « **Reply #32 on:** April 22, 2013, 11:55:31 AM »

Penwalk,there have been times when I didn't know what people were talking about.SFD was one acronym I didn't know,it took me a while to "get" it.

On SG are topics on sewing acronyms.Here is one topic,there are more.

When DS was in the hospital in the CCU,his DF,(dear friend),flew out from Ontario to visit DS.He was staying at a nearby motel.I offered to take him sightseeing and shopping for a couple of hours.

While we were waiting in line at a store,the friend said to the male cashier...XYZ.I thought it was some kind of secret language invitation,because the male clerk smiled and said,thank you very much,I appreciate it a couple of times.It took courage for me to ask the friend on the way to his motel......what does XYZ stand for ?

karent · « **Reply #33 on:** April 22, 2013, 12:23:22 PM »

Pina, if it means what it did when I was in high school, XYZ is shorthand for "examine your zipper." Ie. your fly is open. Would explain the "thank you."

K

JuneBug · « **Reply #34 on:** April 22, 2013, 12:58:55 PM »

We would add "PDQ" to the XYZ for "Pretty Darn Quick".

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Author Topic: A place to discover what all the acronyms mean (Read 6534 times)