Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to perform complex tasks to align and sew the sections of a garment because of the complexity of combining parts, or because of frequent variation in fabrics and materials.
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to assemble or sew components in situations that involve the use of either single industrial machines for advanced fabric manipulations and demonstrated shaping of the end product, or the operation of three or more different industrial machine types, that require feeding and handling skills, directional changes, and contouring as well as critical stopping points.
Machine types may include a plain lockstitch sewing machine, a three, four or five thread overlocker, a blind hemming machine or a zigzag sewing machine.
Work is conducted according to defined procedures and requires discretion, initiative and judgement.
Work may be conducted in small to large scale enterprises and may involve individual and team activities.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Determine job requirements | 1.1 | Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) |
1.2 | Comply with work health and safety (WHS) requirements at all times | ||
1.3 | Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with SOPs | ||
1.4 | Identify job requirements from specifications, drawings, job sheets or work instructions | ||
2 | Prepare to perform complex tasks | 2.1 | Prepare to use sewing machines |
2.2 | Check needles, attachments and parts and identify worn needles and parts and report or replace, according to manufacturer instructions | ||
2.3 | Receive work and check that the bundle matches ticket information and that that previous operations have been successfully completed | ||
3 | Perform complex sewing tasks | 3.1 | Sew complex work pieces or manipulate fabric to ensure correct shaping of the end result, using machine according to workplace procedures |
3.2 | Perform complex sewing operations demonstrating different operations or for advanced fabric manipulation | ||
3.3 | Regularly check performance of machine for signs of faulty operation, including evidence from inspection of finished pieces | ||
3.4 | Take required action to address poor performance | ||
4 | Review and complete work | 4.1 | Inspect sewn complex work, identify any faults, take appropriate action and check finished pieces against quality standards |
4.2 | Record results of inspection of finished component | ||
4.3 | Record action taken to either reject or correct faulty components | ||
4.4 | Record preventative action taken to avoid recurrence of defective pieces | ||
4.5 | Complete production records or packing slips | ||
4.6 | Direct completed work to next operation or packing section | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include:
reading and following work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safe work practices and other reference material
applying relevant standards
preparing workstation and work before commencing sewing operations
demonstrating techniques to complete complex sewing operations on at least five (5) occasions which involve
performing a sequence of different operations on a single sewing machine or on multiple machines to complete the majority of a complex task
exercising fabric manipulation skills to handle and align sections and ensure correct shaping of the end result, because of fabric variations or complexity of combining parts
inspecting sewn components, identifying any faults, taking appropriate action and checking finished pieces against quality standards
recording results of inspections to identify faulty components and preventative action
completing production records or packing slips and directing completed work to next operation or packing section, according to workplace procedures.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
safe work practices and procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
relevant Australian standards
characteristics of woven and knitted fabrics such as denim, single knits, tricot, gabardine
techniques to use a single sewing machine to align and sew work pieces
range of components:
sleeves
waistbands (straight or shaped)
collars
cuffs
plackets
facings (neck and armhole)
binds
zips (dress, skirt, trouser and invisible)
buttons and buttonholes
pockets (cut away, patch and in seam)
machine operation and maintenance, such as:
plain lockstitch sewing machine
three, four or five thread overlocker
zigzag sewing machine
blind hemming machines
buttonholers
pocket and collaring machines
elasticators and binders
handling frequent variations in fabrics
quality standards and practices
sequence of operations
workplace procedures
recording and reporting practices.
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment, as set by the VET regulator
have vocational competency in sewing components, complex tasks, at least to the level being assessed, with relevant industry knowledge and experience.
Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible, or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
Workplace procedures include one or more of the following: | requirements prescribed by legislation, awards, agreements and conditions of employment SOPs work instructions personal protective equipment (PPE) oral, written and visual communication quality practices, including responsibility for maintenance of own work quality and contribution to quality improvement of team or section output housekeeping tasks related to environmental protection, waste disposal, pollution control and recycling WHS practices |
Australian Standards include: | the relevant industry or Australian Standards that are current at the time this unit is being undertaken |
Prepare to use sewing machine includes the following: | receive work pieces, check specification sheets and plan follow-up action lay out work pieces in sequence set up workbench and seating according to workplace procedures clean, check, set up and adjust machines according to specifications for work identify poor machine performance and adjust as required |
Sew work pieces includes the following: | sew pieces according to product requirements and quality standards use machine according to requirements for speed of work control machine speed and work handling according to type of operations, fabrics and product type |
Fabrics include one or more of the following: | woven and knitted fabrics, such as denim, single knits, tricot and gabardine |
Components include one or more of the following: | sleeves waistbands (straight or shaped) collars cuffs plackets facings (neck and armhole) binds zips (dress, skirt, trouser and invisible) buttons and buttonholes pockets (cut away, patch and in seam) |
Industrial machines include one or more of the following: | plain lockstitch sewing machine three, four or five thread overlocker zigzag sewing machine blind hemming machines buttonholers pocket and collaring machines elasticators binders |
Set-up includes the following: | correct thread needle size and type: a variety of size and types such as standard, ball point needle guard tension setting attachments |
Complex sewing operations include following: | Manipulation of various components to deal with frequent variation of fabrics and materials to ensure correct shaping of end result Sewing techniques needed to address fabric variations as well as awkward positioning, feeding and handling which require contouring or stopping points sewing stretch knit fabric to non-stretch fabric |
Complex tasks include one or more of the following: | lycra sportswear with panels gathering, easing, tucking and stitching curves hems (double fold, rolled, blind and stitched hem) darts and pleats |
Sectors
Not applicable
Competency Field
Clothing production