To sew fabric pieces together using long, loose stitches that are easy to remove later. This technique stabilizes slippery fabrics, matches complex seams, or holds a garment together for a preliminary fitting before the permanent machine stitches are applied.
Heard on the job
Just tack the zipper in place first so it doesn't shift when you run it under the foot.
Also heard as
- baste
- Tacking
- basting
Related terms
Same word, different worlds
Adhesives
The stickiness of an adhesive surface: how quickly it grabs another surface with light pressure and short contact.
Printed Circuit BoardsTo solder one or two pins of a part first to hold it in place before soldering the rest.
GeosyntheticsTo spot-weld overlapped geomembrane with a hot-air tool so it stays aligned before the final extrusion weld.