Glossary of Quilting Terms

::Quilting Terms::

[A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][J][K][L][M]
[N][O][P][Q][R][S][T][U][V][W][X][Y][Z]

A
Acrylic Template: Thick plastic pattern used to trace or cut around. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Allover Quilting: Stitching that covers the entire quilt without regard to block shapes or fabric design.

Alternate Blocks: Plain, pieced, or appliquéd blocks between a quilt's primary blocks.

Appliqué: Stitching shaped pieces of cloth onto a background cloth, by hand or machine, to create a design.

Appliqué Template: A pattern used to trace shapes onto fabric.

B
Backing: The layer of fabric on the back of a quilt. It can be a single fabric, pieced from multiple fabrics or created using extra blocks.

Basting Spray: Adhesive available in a spray can that may be used to hold the layers of a quilt together instead of basting.

Basting stitch: A large, loose stitch used to hold together layers of fabric or fabric and batting. Basting stitches are usually removed after the layers are quilted or tied.

Batting: The filler layer between the quilt top and backing. Compression of this layer by the quilting stitch creates the raised motifs on the quilt surface. Batting is usually made of cotton, polyester or a mix of these, although wool, silk and flannel fabric is sometimes used.

Bearding: The appearance of batting on the quilt surface, showing through the holes where the needle pierced the quilt top or back during the quilting process.

Bias: A 45° diagonal across the threads. Fabric cut in this direction has a great deal of stretch.

Big stitch quilting: Large, evenly spaced hand quilting used in folk art.

Binding: The standard edge finish for a quilt made from folded strips of bias or straight-cut fabric, tightly stitched over the raw edges of the quilt. Typically machine sewn to the front and hand-stitched to the back with a blind hem stitch.

Blanket stitch: A decorative hand or machine stitch used to outline appliqué pieces. Also called a buttonhole stitch.

Block: A square containing a pieced geometric design or an appliqué design. These may be simple or elaborate and often have colorful and descriptive names. Many quilt designs are created by repeating or combining blocks.

Border: Lengths of fabric stitched around the outside edges of the quilt center. These may be plain, pieced or appliquéd. The border is the framing that serves to visually hold in the design and give the eye a stopping point.

Buttonhole stitch: See Blanket stitch.

C
Chain piecing: Sewing patchwork pieces in a continuous chain from edge to edge without backstitching.

Continuous sashing: Strips of fabric that separate rows either vertically or horizontally.

Contrast: The differences between color values, described as light, medium or dark. Contrast clarifies design and makes depth apparent.

Cornerstones: Squares of fabric pieced within sashing that align at the block corners.

Crazy quilting: Popularized during the Victorian era, crazy quilting consists of oddly shaped pieces of fabric sewn onto a foundation and embellished with embroidery, ribbons, and beading. Silk, velvet, cotton and other fine fabrics are typically used.

Cross-grain: Threads running perpendicular to the straight grain threads. They are less tightly woven so the fabric streches more.

Curve, concave: A curve that bows inward.

Curve, convex: A curve that bows outward.

Cutting mat: Surface used for rotary cutting that protects the tabletop and keeps the fabric from shifting while cutting. Considered self-healing, meaning the blade does not leave slash marks or grooves in the surface even after repeated use.

D
Darning foot: An open-toe sewing machine foot used for free-motion quilting.

Design wall: A vertical surface used to position and view fabric choices to see how they might appear in a quilt.

Diagonal setting: Quilt top with blocks set "on point" in diagonal rows.

Dog-ears: Long points that extend beyond the seam allowance, block edge, or quilt top edge after the pieces are stitched together. Usually trimmed off to make aligning subsequent pieces easier.

Double-fold binding: See French-fold binding.

E
Easing: Working in extra fabric where two pieces do not align precisely, especially when sewing curves.

Embellishment: Adding decorative items or stitches to a quilt top. May include buttons, beads, heavyweight threads, or charms.

English paper piecing: Technique of stabilizing fabric over a paper template. Frequently used for designs with set-in corners such as the hexagon shape.

F
Fat eighth: A 1/8-yard fabric cut crosswise from a 1/4-yard piece of fabric for a finished size of 9x22".

Fat quarter: A 1/4-yard fabric cut crosswise from a 1/2-yard piece of fabric for a finished size of 18x22".

Finger-pressing: The process of pressing a small seam using a finger to apply pressure.

Foundation piecing: A method of sewing together fabric pieces on the reverse side of a paper pattern or foundation fabric. Sometimes preferred for joining a very small or irregularly shaped fabric pieces.

Free-motion quilting: Machine quilting done with the feed dogs disengaged and using a darning presser foot so the quilt can be moved freely on the machine bed in any direction.

Freezer paper: Paper commonly available at grocery stores that can be used to make appliqué patterns. The shiny coating on one side temporarily adheres to fabric when pressed with a warm iron.

French-fold binding: A fabric strip that is folded in half then used to bind the quilt. Also called Double-fold binding.

Fusible web: A paper-backed adhesive that can be ironed to the back of fabric that is then cut into shapes. These fused shapes can be adhered to a background fabric by pressing them with a warm iron. Frequently used in appliqué projects.

Fussy cutting: Isolating and cutting out a specific print or motif from a piece of fabric.

G
Grain: Reference to the lengthwise or crosswise threads in a woven fabric. It should be considered when cutting shapes from fabric.

H
Half-square triangle: the 90° triangle formed when a square is cut in half once diagonally.

Hand-piece: To sew seams by hand to make a quilt top.

Hand quilting: Series of running stitches made through all layers of a quilt with needle and thread.

Hanging sleeve: A piece of fabric sewn into a tube and then to the back of the quilt. The fabric holds a rod so the quilt can be hung.

I
Ironing: Moving the iron while pressing can distort fabrics and seams so term "ironing" is distinguished from "pressing" when quilting.

K
Kaleidoscope: A quilt block pattern in which fabric is pieced so that it resembles the variegated image seen through a kaleidoscope.

Knee-lift presser foot: A device attached to a sewing machine that allows the quilter to raise the machine presser foot with the knee, leaving the hands free to manipulate the fabric.

Knife-edge self-binding: Quilt top fabric and backing fabric are turned under to meet evenly at the edges of the quilt, leaving the quilt edges without an additional strip of binding fabric.

L
Light box: A translucent surface that is lit from below and is used for tracing patterns onto paper or fabric.

Loft: The thickness of the batting

Longarm quilting machine: A quilting machine used by professional quilters in which the quilt is held taut on a frame, allowing the quilter to work on a large portion of the quilt at a time. The machine head moves freely, allowing free-motion quilting in all directions.

M
Machine appliqué: Sewing fabric motifs onto a fabric foundation using a sewing machine.

Machine piece: Sewing quilt pieces together with 1/4" seam allowances using a sewing machine.

Marking tools: A variety of pens, pencils and chalks that can be used to mark fabric pieces or a quilt top.

Meandering stitch: An allover quilting pattern characterized by a series of large, loosely curved lines that usually do not cross over one another. Commonly used to cover an entire quilt surface without regard to block or border seams or edges.

Mitered borders: Border strips that meet in the corner at a 45° angle.

Monofilament thread: A clear or smoke-colored thread made of polyester or nylon used for machine quilting. Finished stitches are nearly invisible.

N
Needle threader: A device that helps in getting thread through the eye of the needle. Available for both hand and machine sewing.

Needle-turn appliqué: An appliqué method in which the seams are turned under with the needle tip just ahead of the section being stitched.

Novelty print: Fabric designed with a theme that may include holiday motifs, hobbies or pet motifs.

O
On point: Quilt blocks that are positioned on the diagonal are on point.

Outline quilting: Quilting done 1/4" from a seam line or an edge of an appliqué shape.

P
Paper foundation: A thin piece of paper with a pattern that becomes the base for a quilt block when fabric is sewn directly onto it.

Piecing: Creating a geometric pattern by sewing individually shaped pieces of cloth together into that pattern. Sometimes called piecework or patchwork.

Pin baste: Basting together quilt layers with safety pins.

Piping: A trim or binding made by covering cording with fabric.

Prairie points: Folded fabric triangles used as a border or embellishment.

Presser foot: The removable sewing machine accessory that holds fabric in place against the machine bed and accommodates the needle.

Pressing: Picking up the iron off the fabric surface and putting it back down in another location rather than sliding it across the fabric. See "Ironing." Most seam allowances are pressed to one side, toward the darker fabric when possible.

Q
Quarter-square triangle: The 90° triangle formed when a square is cut twice diagonally in an X.

Quilt center: The quilt top before the borders are added.

Quilting: Using a running stitch to hold several layers of cloth together--a top layer with a design (the quilt top), a filler layer (usually batting) and a bottom layer (backing).

Quilt sandwich: The three parts of a quilt layered together--the quilt top, batting, and backing.

Quilter's knot: A knot used frequently in quilting in which thread is wrapped around the needle then the needle is pulled through the wraps to create a knot.

Quilting stencils: Quilting patterns with open areas through which a design is transferred onto a quilt top.

R
Reducing lens: A device that allows quilters to view fabric and projects as if they were several feet away. Distance may be valuable in determining design qualities.

Reproduction fabrics: Re-creations of fabrics from different time periods such as the Civil War era or the 1930s.

Rotary cutter: Tool with a sharp, round blade attached to a handle that is used to cut fabric. The blades are available in different diameters.

S
Sashing: Strips of fabric used to separate or set off block designs.

Scalloped border: A border with multiple curves around the quilt's outer edges.

Seam allowance: Distance between the fabric's raw edge and the seam line. Typically 1/4" in machine piecing.

Seam ripper: A sharp, curve-tipped tool used to lift and break the thread when removing a seam.

Self-binding: Using backing fabric as binding rather than attaching a separate binding strip.

Selvage: The lengthwise edge of woven fabric.

Set: The way in which the completed blocks are arranged to make the quilt top.

Set-in seam: The type of seam used when a continuous straight line seam is not an option. Separate steps are necessary to sew a piece into an angled opening between other pieces that have already been joined.

Setting a seam: The first pressing of the seam as it comes from the sewing machine to lock threads together, smooth out puckers and even out minor thread tension differences before pressing the seam open or to one side.

Setting squares: Solid, pieced or appliquéd squares placed between the focal-point quilt blocks to set off a design.

Setting triangles: Triangles used to fill out a design when blocks are set on point.

Sizing: Product used to add body or stability to fabric making it seem easier to handle.

Spacer border: Plain border sewn between a quilt center and an outer pieced border.

Spray starch or sizing: Liquid starch or sizing that can be sprayed over fabric to stabilize it before cutting.

Stippling: An allover quilting pattern characterized by a series of randomly curved lines that do not cross. Stippling is used to fill in background areas which allows motifs to be more prominent. Also called allover meandering.

Straight grain: Threads running parallel to the selvage (woven) edge of the fabric. This is the straightest and strongest direction of the fabric. There is little or no stretch.

Straight set: A quilt top setting with blocks aligned side by side in straight, even rows without sashing.

Straight set borders: A border that has been added first to the top and bottom of the quilt, then to the side edges, or vice versa.

String piecing: Sewing multiple strips of fabric to a foundation piece for use in a block.

Strip piecing: A process for accurately and quickly cutting multiple strips and joining them together prior to cutting them into units or subunits for blocks. Also known as the strip method.

T
Template: A pattern made from paper, plastic, cardboard or other sturdy material used to cut pieces for patchwork or appliqué.

Thimble: A device to protect finger pads from needle pricks. Can be made of metal, leather, plastic or rubber.

Thread basting: Basting quilt layers together using a needle and thread and extra-long stitches that will be removed after the quilting is completed.

Trapunto: A method of adding raised texture to quilts by stuffing design areas. Trapunto is used frequently in stems, leaves and other motifs.

Triangle square: The square unit created when two 90° triangles are sew together on the diagonal.

Tying: Taking a stitch through all three layers of the quilt and knotting it on the surface. Usually done with high loft batting.

V
Variegated thread: Thread in which the color changes throughout the strand.

W
Walking foot: A sewing machine foot that has grippers on the bottom that act in tandem with the machine's feed dogs to evenly feed multiple layers of fabric and batting beneath the foot.

Whole cloth: Decorative quilting on one large piece of faric or several pieces of the same fabric joined together. There is no piecing or appliqué.

Y
Yo-yos: Three-dimensional gathered fabric circles that may be sewn into quilt tops or used for decorative embellishments.

Z
Zigzag stitch: A side-to-side stitch that can be used for machine appliqué.