Elliana Smith

A bra size is a band number from your underbust plus a cup letter from the bust-to-band gap, but brands convert differently, so use each brand's own chart.

A clipper guard number stands for the hair length it leaves; on Wahl's guards a number 2 leaves 6 mm (about 1/4 inch), and each step up adds about 3 mm.

Dress lengths run from mini (above the knee) to maxi (at the ankle); petite sizes are cut for women 5 feet 4 inches and under, with shorter hems and sleeves.

A 925 stamp means sterling silver, at least 92.5 percent pure; karats count gold in 24ths, so 18k has more gold than 14k, and nickel often causes allergy.

Shears are 10 inches or longer with one small and one large handle, scissors are shorter with matching handles, and pinking shears zigzag to slow fraying.

Regular polish air dries and OPI rates it at up to 7 days of wear, while gel hardens under a lamp and lasts about 3 weeks; gel-like polish skips the lamp.

A hoodie should reach your wrists and let you move freely; its GSM tells you fabric weight, from about 200 for lightweight to 350 and up for heavyweight.

HTV (heat transfer vinyl) is cut and pressed on, while transfer paper holds an inkjet print; light fabric paper suits pale shirts, dark fabric paper dark ones.

A jeans size like 32x30 means a 32-inch waist and a 30-inch inseam; the fit name, such as slim or skinny, describes the shape of the leg.

A lace front wig has lace only along the hairline, a full lace wig has lace over the whole cap, and 13x4 means a lace front 13 inches wide and 4 inches deep.

Mechanical sewing machines set stitches with dials, computerized ones add screens, automatic tension and more stitches, and sergers do a separate job.

Sewing pattern sizes follow a standard body measurement chart, not store sizes, so your pattern size is often one or two sizes larger than off the rack.

Gloss reflects the most light, satin sits in the middle and matte the least; most spray paint is dry to the touch in about 20 minutes, handled in an hour.

Swimsuits are sized by bust, waist and hip, a tankini pairs a tank top with a bikini bottom, and UPF 50 fabric lets through about 1/50 of the sun's UV.

140 lb watercolor paper weighs 300 grams per square meter and 300 lb paper about 640, so the heavier sheet buckles less; cold press is textured.

Yarn weight is a thickness class from 0 (lace) to 7 (jumbo); worsted is a medium 4 and DK a light 3, so DK knits more stitches to the inch.