The Ultimate Vocabulary Guide to Sewing in Spanish
Learning everything you need to sew in Spanish is a great way of improving your abilities and practicing your fluency. Especially if you’re an arts and crafts enthusiast and you love sharing your creative skills with others.
La costura (sewing) is an entertaining hobby for skillful souls who love to create and design.
Sewing is an exceptional way to reduce stress, increase concentration, and refine your motor skills. No matter if you’re a beginner who’s learning to sew or a seasoned pro, you’re destined to encounter new words and terminology in this fun Spanish lesson!
By the end of this blog post, you’ll be equipped with necessary terms, phrases, and all you need to know to sew in Spanish!
Essential Spanish Words for Sewing
Let’s start with the essential terms to cover and the basic rules of sewing. Picking up these terms enables you to follow instructions and talk about what you’re doing.
These key concepts and phrases prepare you to sew in Spanish!
| English | Spanish |
| To sew | Coser |
| Seam | La costura |
| Fashion designer | La diseñadora de modas |
| Sketch | El boceto |
| Sewing machine | La máquina de coser |
| Seamstress | La costurera |
| Tailor | El sastre |
| Dressmaker | La modista |
| Needles | Las agujas |
| Thimble | El dedal |
| Pins | Los alfileres |
| Thread | El hilo |
| Pincushion | El alfiletero |
| Knitting needles | Las agujas de tejer |
| Safety pins | Los ganchos de ropa |
| Fabric | La tela |
| Pattern | El patrón |
| Chalk | La tiza |
| Scissors | Las tijeras |
| Measuring tape | El metro de costura / la cinta métrica |
| Hem | El ruedo / el dobladillo |
| Stitch | La puntada |
| Sewing kit / sewing box | El costurero |
| Back stitch | El pespunte / la puntada trasera |
| Seam allowance | El margen de costura |
| Lining | El forro / el revestimiento |
| Quilting / padding | El acolchado |
| To measure | Tomar medidas |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Se coser pero no se diseñar.
I know how to sew but I don’t know how to design.
Aprender a coser es de mis pasatiempos favoritos.
Learning to sew is one of my favorite hobbies.
Mi tía Alicia es costurera.
My aunt Alice is a seamstress.
El vestido se ve hermoso en el boceto.
The dress looks beautiful in the sketch.
Estoy aprendiendo nuevas puntadas.
I’m learning new stitches.
El sastre me tomó medidas para el pantalón.
The tailor took my measurements for pants.
Mi máquina de coser es marca Singer.
My sewing machine is a Singer.
La modista que está haciendo mi vestido de boda es una profesional.
The dressmaker making my wedding dress is a professional.
Mi costurero tiene hilos, agujas, alfileres y alfileteros.
My sewing kit has threads, needles, pins, and pin cushions.
El dedal me protege de las agujas.
The thimble protects me from needles.
Los ganchos de ropa me sirven para armar diseños.
Safety pins are useful for putting together designs.
Para hacer un patrón, necesito tiza y metro de costura.
To make a pattern, I need chalk and measuring tape.
El ruedo del vestido necesita costura.
The hem of the dress needs sewing.
El forro del vestido es de tela muy liviana.
The lining of the dress is made of light fabric.
Me corté el dedo con las tijeras.
I cut my finger with the scissors.
All About Your Sewing Machine in Spanish
If it’s your first time using the sewing machine or if you’re learning to sew in Spanish, these concepts may be new to you. On the other hand, if you’re familiar with sewing, these elements are easy to locate on the maquina de coser.
Let’s examine the Spanish parts that make up a sewing machine.
| English | Spanish |
| Bobbin | La bobina |
| Spool | El carrete |
| Spool pin | El pasador de carrete |
| Thread cutter | El cortador de hilo |
| Presser foot | La presilla |
| Feed dog | Los dientes de arrastre |
| Foot pedal | El pedal de pie |
| Hand wheel | La rueda de mano |
| Zigzag | Puntada en zigzag |
| Armhole | Sisa |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Todas las partes de la máquina de coser son importantes.
All parts of the sewing machine are important.
La bobina sirve para enrollar hilo.
The bobbin is for rolling thread.
El carrete debe estar bien colocado en la máquina de coser.
The spool should be placed properly on the sewing machine.
Estoy muy cansada para usar el pedal de pie.
I’m too tired to use the foot pedal.
Discuss Your Sewing Tasks in Spanish
Learning to sew in Spanish isn’t just about the sewing machine! There are so many variations and techniques to follow when it comes to cutting and shaping fabric.
Let’s take a look at vocabulary related to sewing tasks in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| Appliqué | Aplique |
| Opening a seam | Abrir una costura |
| Darts | Pinzas |
| Bias | Bies |
| Bias cut | Cortar al sesgo |
| English sewing | Costura inglesa |
| Tarnish | Deslustre |
| Pleat | El pliegue |
| Ruffle | El vuelo |
| Notch | Hacer muescas |
| To tie a knot | Atar un nudo |
| To untie a knot | Desatar un nudo |
| Baste | Hilvanar |
| French knot | Nudo francés |
| Overlock | Overlock |
| Remove the corners | Quitar las esquinas |
| Reinforce with fabric | Reforzar con tela |
| Edge | Ribetear |
| Overcast | Sobrehilar |
| To knit / to weave | Tejer |
| Facing | El revestimiento |
| Gather | El frunce |
| Embroidery / needlework | El bordado |
Example Sentences in Spanish
A mi abuela le gusta tejer.
My grandma likes to knit.
El bordado es un pasatiempo entretenido.
Needlework is an entertaining hobby.
Es importante hilvanar para darle forma al diseño.
It’s important to baste to shape the design.
La falda tiene pliegues.
The skirt is pleated.
Ella hizo un nudo mientras tejía.
She tied a knot while knitting.
Utilizar el overlock es complejo.
Using the overlock is complex.
Es necesario reforzar con tela el agujero de tu bolsa.
It’s necessary to reinforce the hole on your bag with fabric.
Mi blusa tiene flores bordadas.
My blouse has embroidered flowers.
Fabrics and Sewing Materials
Knowing your fabrics is an essential part of learning to sew in Spanish. It’s the basic material and life of any design project you may have in mind.
Here is the vocabulary you need in Spanish that relates to fabrics and other sewing materials.
| English | Spanish |
| Fabric grain | El grano de la tela |
| Warp | La urdimbre |
| Weft | La trama |
| Muslin | La muselina |
| Cotton | El algodón |
| Silk | La seda |
| Selvedge | El orillo |
| Polyester | El poliéster |
| Linen | El lino |
| Denim | La lona |
| Chiffon | La gaza |
| Flannel | La franela |
| Satin | El satín |
| Velvet | El terciopelo |
| Leather | El cuero |
| Suede | La gamuza |
| Rayon | El rayón |
| Lamé | Lamé |
| Sequins | Las lentejuelas |
| Rhinestones | La pedrería |
| Wool | La lana |
| Kashmir | El cachemir |
| Spandex | El spandex |
| Frame | El bastidor |
| Seam ripper | El desgarrador de costuras |
| Zipper | El zipper / la cremallera |
| Buttons | El botón / los botones |
| Rivet | El remache |
Example Sentences in Spanish
La urdimbre es esencial para diseñar un tejido.
The warp is essential for designing a textile.
Me encanta el terciopelo, es muy elegante.
I love velvet, it’s so elegant.
La lona es muy pesada.
Denim is very heavy.
Mi traje favorito es de lamé dorado.
My favorite outfit is gold lamé.
Quiero el vestido con lentejuela.
I want the dress with sequins.
Sewing with leather is complicated.
Coser con cuero es complicado.
La lana es perfecta para coser ropa caliente.
The wool is perfect for sewing warm clothes.
El bastidor me ayuda a colocar la pedrería.
The frame helps me place the rhinestones.
Mi traje de baño está hecho de spandex.
My bathing suit is made of spandex.
Necesito reemplazar la cremallera de mi bolsa.
I need to replace the zipper in my purse.
¿Me ayudas cosiendo el botón por favor?
Can you help me sew the button please?
Your Ultimate Sewing Creations
The best part of learning to sew in Spanish is practicing the language while creating unique pieces.
Here are different projects you can take on using a sewing machine and your crafty hands.
| English | Spanish |
| Skirt | La falda |
| Collar | El cuello |
| Pillowcase | La funda de cojín / la funda de almohada |
| Dress | El vestido |
| Pants / trousers | El pantalón / los pantalones |
| Sweater | El suéter |
| Vest | El chaleco |
| Socks | Los calcetines / las calcetas |
| Mittens | Los mitones / los guantes |
| Beanie | El gorro |
| Blanket | La frazada / la colcha / la manta |
| Table runner | El camino de mesa |
| Pouch | La bolsa |
| Bib | El babero |
| Handbag | La bolsa |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Mi primer proyecto de costura fue una falda.
My first sewing project was a skirt.
¿Le puedes subir el ruedo a mi pantalón?
Can you raise the hem of my pants?
Te estoy tejiendo un chaleco.
I’m knitting a vest for you.
Mi mamá se tardó mucho tiempo cosiendo este suéter.
My mom took a long time sewing this sweater.
Le estoy cosiendo un babero a mi sobrino.
I’m sewing a bib for my nephew.
Coser ese camino de mesa fue difícil.
Sewing that table runner was difficult.
Start to Sew in Spanish!
I hope after reading this vocabulary list you feel ready to learn how to sew in Spanish. If you’re an experienced seamstress or dressmaker, then you’re ready to start sharing all about your favorite hobby in Spanish. Take this new vocabulary for a spin and start practicing conversation!
Empower yourself to talk to a native speaker in Spanish! Sign up for a free trial class with our certified, native, Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. At Homeschool Spanish Academy, we have over ten years of experience and teach over 24,000 students worldwide each month. The classes can be tailored to your needs and are guaranteed to have you speaking Spanish by the first class!
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Thanks so much for this! I am a pattern maker, and I am producing my home sewing patterns in English and Spanish! I would love to see another article with more technical terms/processes – “understitch.” or “topStitch” Thanks again!
Amy
Hello Amy! Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed this blog post.