Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to sew woven and stretch knit garments.
The unit of competency applies to sewing complete stretch and woven fabric garments or products and may apply to sample machining involving all operations in the assembly of a garment to specification. It covers the skills and knowledge to plan, align and sew complete stretch and woven fabric garments from specifications or patterns using a variety of machines and processes.
Work may be self-directed and unsupervised and 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 sew woven and stretch knit garments | 2.1 | Identify garment requirements from production specifications |
2.2 | Determine machining requirements and develop a plan for garment construction | ||
2.3 | Check and lay out work pieces in sequence according to construction plan | ||
2.4 | Prepare work station, machines and equipment | ||
3 | Sew garment | 3.1 | Sew garment according to requirements for sewing woven and stretch knit fabrics, quality standards and workplace procedures |
3.2 | Sew garment according to requirements for speed of work | ||
3.3 | Control machine speed and work handling for type of operations, fabrics and product type | ||
3.4 | Regularly check performance of machine for signs of faulty operation, including evidence from inspection of finished pieces, and take required action | ||
4 | Complete work | 4.1 | Inspect garment and check against quality standards, identify any faults and take appropriate action |
4.2 | Record results of inspection of finished garment and take action to either reject or correct faulty garment and record | ||
4.3 | Record preventative action taken to avoid any recurrence of defective garment | ||
4.4 | Complete production records and packing slips | ||
4.5 | 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, production specifications
applying relevant standards
planning and preparing for product construction
checking work pieces against pattern or specifications
preparing workstation and work before commencing sewing operations
applying appropriate sewing techniques required to construct whole garment form stretch or woven fabric
sewing at least two (2) garments according to requirements for sewing woven and stretch knit fabrics, quality standards and workplace procedures
operating one or more machines required for complete operations
inspecting garment and checking against quality standards, identifying any faults and taking appropriate action to either reject or correct faulty garment and record
recording preventative action taken to avoid any recurrence of defective garment
completing production records and packing slips
directing completed work to next operation or packing section.
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 a stretch and woven fabrics
threads and other materials used in garment assembly
quality standards and practices
use and maintenance of production machines, including:
plain lockstitch sewing machine
three, four or five thread overlocker
zigzag sewing machine
blind hemmers
buttonholers
button sewers
pocket and collaring machines
elasticators
binders
garment requirements:
work pieces, accessories and trims
pattern
production or delivery time requirements
stitch finishes
range of sewing techniques required to construct woven and stretch knit garments
impact of incorrect sewing techniques on stretch and woven fabrics garment construction
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 woven and stretch knit garments, 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 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 |
Garments include one or more of the following: | clothing which includes multiple pieces, such as sleeves, collars and trims clothing which is made to production specifications, for example shirts, trousers, dresses, unstructured jackets, skirts, lingerie and briefs |
Prepare workstation, machines and equipment includes the following: | setting up workbench and seating according to WHS practices cleaning and checking machines maintaining records setting up and adjusting machines according to specifications for work checking needles, attachments and parts identifying, reporting or replacing worn needles and parts according to manufacturer instructions |
Machines include one or more of the following: | plain lockstitch sewing machine three, four or five thread overlocker zigzag sewing machine blind hemmers buttonholers pocket and collaring machine elasticators binders flat seaming machines |
Set-up includes one or more of the following: | correct thread, needle size and length needle guard, tension setting and attachments setting machine tension specific to woven and stretch knit fabrics |
Operations include one or more of the following: | sewing techniques specific to stretch and woven fabrics, where the positioning, feeding and handling of work pieces involves discretionary changes, contouring or critical stopping points or involving the special handling skills required to accommodate fabric variations production of whole garment from specifications or patterns sample machining processes required to complete whole garment construction |
Sectors
Not applicable
Competency Field
Clothing production