What Does it Mean?

Discover Definitions for Common Quilting Terms

This is a work in progress, and rather than make you wait until it is done, I'll just continue to add on to it.

Click on the letters below to jump to the name of the quilt block pattern you are looking for:

A-B   C-D    E-F   G-H    I-M   N-P    Q-R    S-T    U-Z

As is true with many hobbies, crafts and skills, quilting has developed its own language, with terms that are so unique that a non-quilter might not be able to even guess what they mean.

Below you will find definitions to many common quilting terms, and sometimes even a tidbit of history about how it was created.

This Glossary of Quilting Terms is in the development stage. Rather than make you wait until it is completely finished, I decided to let you watch it develop. Come back often to see more quilting terms added.

A - B

Acrylic – Although not exactly a quilting term, acrylic is a type of hard plastic that many rulers and templates are made from.  Rulers and templates made from acrylic can be used with a rotary cutter and you can trace around them onto fabric.

Appliqué – Adding fabric motifs (pictures, shapes, etc.) to a foundation fabric.  The fabric pieces can be added either by machine or by hand.  And they may overlap one another and create a somewhat dimensional design.

Background fabric – This is fabric in your quilt that you want to kind of fade into the background and not “jump out.”  This can be a foundation fabric in a quilt with appliqué or it can be fabric surrounding patches in blocks.  One example of a background fabric in a block would be a fabric that surrounds a star.

Backing – The layer of fabric on the back of a quilt.  It can be one piece of fabric, several fabrics sewn together, or made from left over blocks.

Backstitch – This is when you sew over stitches to secure them.  On a sewing machine, you might backstitch a length of up to ½.”  If you are hand stitching, you would backstitch one or two stitches.  This is also a hand embroidery stitch.

Bargello – This is a particular type of quilt that is identified by its peaks and valleys that are created by the color pattern of the fabric squares pieced together.  The quilt top is created by sewing strips of fabric together, then cutting them perpendicular to the strips.  Each of these strips is then offset from the previous strip and sewn together.

Basting – The long (3”-4”) stitches that secure appliqué pieces or quilt layers while you do final stitching (either attaching appliqué or quilting a quilt).  Basting can also be done using safety pins, plastic “micro tags” (like the plastic tags that stores use to hang price tags), basting glue or spray.  Basting is removed once the final stitching is complete.

Batting – The layer between the quilt top and the backing.  Batting is made from many different types of material – polyester, cotton, wool, silk – and can be manufactured as batting, or can be as simple as a piece of flannel or wool between the quilt layers.

Beading – Adding beads as embellishments to your quilt.  Beads can be added in a specific design or pattern, or can be randomly placed on the quilt.

Bearding – When fibers of batting come through the quilt top or backing.  This can happen no matter how careful you are not to poke holes in your quilt.  It can be caused by the batting itself.  Some batting is “needle punched” or bonded to prevent bearding.

Betweens – Small needles that are designed for quilting, appliqué and sewing binding on a quilt.  Because they are short and thin, they make it easier to sew short stitches, and prevent large holes from being made in your quilt’s fabric.

Bias – A diagonal line between the straight grain and cross grain of a piece of fabric.  The line can be at most any angle – it is not limited to a 45º or 60º angle.  When fabric is cut on the bias, it stretches more than fabric that has been cut on the straight grain or cross grain.  This can be either an advantage or disadvantage.  Bias strips make great curves and are stronger used as binding; however, when used in patches, if you’re not careful, the stretching can cause misshapen blocks.

Bias binding - See below for the definition of binding. Bias binding is binding that is made using bias strips. You can also make binding from the straight grain of the fabric. Bias binding is very helpful when you are sewing around curves, and it also tends to hold up better than straight grain binding.

Binding – The finishing strip of fabric on a quilt that covers the raw edges and attaches the quilt top to the backing.

Blanket Stitch – A decorative machine or hand stitch that frequently is used to attach appliqué pieces.  It is also called a buttonhole stitch.  These names come from their original purpose.  Blanket binding was attached using this stitch, and buttonholes are finished using this stitch.

Blind Stitch – A stitch that is frequently used for attaching appliqué pieces or binding.  The stitches are sewn so they are hidden under the top layer of fabric.

Block – The basic unit of a quilt top.  Typically blocks are square, can be made of any size, and may repeat themselves in a quilt.  They can be pieced from patches, could be appliqué, or possibly even solid pieces of fabric.

Bobbin – The thread unit in a sewing machine that is under the fabric as you are stitching. 

Borders - The outside pieces (strips) on a quilt that "frame the picture."

Butted corners - When border or binding corners meet at a 90º angle instead of making a mitered corner.

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C - D

Chain piecing - When you sew patchwork pieces one right after the other in a chain, without backstitching after sewing each set.

Channel stitching - Rows of quilting running straight across a quilt that are sewn parallel to each other.

Color wheel - A circular device that has colors marked on it so you can see the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary colors and the tints and shades of each.

Complementary colors - Colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel.

Continuous sashing - Sashing that separates rows or columns of blocks on a quilt, and does not include cornerstones.

Cornerstones - Squares of fabric pieced within sashing or border stips that usually align in the block corners or outside corners in the case of cornerstones in the border.

Crazy quilts - Quilts that are made by covering a foundation piece of fabric with odd-shaped pieces of fabric, and usually include fabrics other than cotton - for example velvet, silk, cordouroy. The fabrics are often embellished with fnacy embroidery stitches.

Crosshatch quilting - Quilting that is done in lines across the quilt going in opposing directions - vertical and horizontal (creating squares) or crossing at an angle (creating diamonds).

Cross grain (crosswise grain) - Threads running perpendicular to the selvedge of the fabric. These threads run the width of the fabric.

Cutting mat - Surface used for cutting with a rotary cutter. The mat protects your tabletop and can also serve as a measuring tool when you use the gridlines on the mat to line up your fabric. Many mats are self-healing which means that the blade of the rotary cutter will not create permanent groves in the mat.

Design Wall - A wall that is used to position and view your fabric and quilt blocks so you can see what your finished quilt might look like. Often a design wall is covered with flannel, so the fabric will stick to it without pinning.

Directional borders - Borders that have designs that run in a particular sequence or order.

Dog-ears - Long points that extend beyond the seam allowance. Usually this happens with triangles or diamonds, and it is a good idea to trim them so your quilt back has less bulk.

Double-fold binding - Quilt binding that is made from a strip of fabric that is folded in half lengthwise before it is sewn onto the quilt. It is also known as French-fold binding.

Drag - Caused by the weight of the quilt pulling while you are sewing. Drag can result in your quilt being distorted when it is finished.

Drape - (or drapability) How stiff or soft the fabric or quilt is.

Drop - The part of a quilt that hangs down the sides of your mattress.

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E - F

Easing - When you work in extra fabric when two pieces don't align exactly. This happens when you are sewing curves and can happen when you sew straight edges.

Echo quilting - Quilting stitches that follow the outline of a shape in a quilt - for example an applique - and you echo its shape.

Embellishment - Decorative stitches or items that are added to a quilt, including buttons, beads, charms, or embroidery or other thread.

English paper piecing - When you sew fabric pieces around a paper template, folding the seam allowance to the back side of the template. This process can make sewing hexigons or clamshells much easier when you leave the fabric attached to the paper template and then hand sew the fabric pieces together.

Equilateral triangles - Triangles where all three angles are 60º angles. Six equilateral triangles sewn together make a hexagon.

Extra-fine pins - Pins with a thinner shaft than standard pins, therefore leaving a smaller hole. These are good to use on silk or other fabric which may be thin or prone to having pinholes made easily (such as lamé).

Fat Eighth - A 1/4 yard of fabric that is cut in half between the selvedges so you end up with a piece of fabric that is approximately 9" by 22"

Fat Quarter - A 1/2 yard of fabric that is cut in half between the selvedges so you end up with a piece of fabric that is approximately 18" by 22"

Feed dogs - The sawtooth-edged metal strips that are just under your sewing machine needle. They help guide your fabric beneath the presser foot so your piece can be sewn.

Felted wool - Wool that has been machine washed and dried, creating a tight-woven material that won't fray.

Finger press - When you press a small seam with your fingers and pressure instead of an iron.

Flannel - 100% cotton fabric that has a brushed, napped surface.

Foundation piecing - A method of sewing fabric pieces on the reverse side of a paper pattern or foundation fabric.

Four patch - A block or patch unit that is made up of 4 squares of equal size.

Framed block - A block with fabric strips around it so it looks like it has been framed.

Free-motion quilting - Quilting done on a machine with the feed dogs down, so the quilt can be moved in any direction under the needle. Usually a darning foot is used instead of a regular presser foot.

Freezer paper - or "grease proof paper" in the UK is paper with a waxy finish on one side. It is generally used to wrap and protect food that will be frozen, but quilters figured out that they could cut patterns out of the paper and lightly iron it to fabric. It's great for stabilizing applique pieces onto the backing fabric.

French fold binding - or double fold binding. Quilt binding that is made from a strip of fabric that is folded in half lengthwise before it is sewn onto the quilt. It is also known as French-fold binding.

Fusible web - A paper-backed adhesive that you can iron onto the back of fabric and then cut it into shapes and iron onto a background fabric.

Fussy cutting - When you find a particular design, picture or print in your fabric and then cut around it so it fits into a patch or block on your quilt featuring the special picture or design.

G - H

Gathering stitch - a long running stitch that can be pulled to gather fabric. This is especially useful when sewing circles or curves. It will smooth out the round edges and eliminate any sharp points or corners.

Glass-head pins - pins with glass on the head that won't melt when pressed, and is easy to find in a mass of quilt top.

Grain (grain line; on grain) - the lengthwise or crosswise threads in woven fabric.

Greige goods - raw, unfinished fabric. This is fabric before it is dyed or processed and rolled onto the bolt.

Grid quilting - quilting in vertical and horizontal lines, like a grid, across the quilt top. This is also know as cross-hatch.

Grid method - the process of dividing quilt blocks into smaller units. Nine-patch and four-patch are examples. Dividing a quilt block makes it easier to sew together, plus you can see ways to change the design more easily.

Half-square triangle - a triangle that is made by dividing a square in half from corner to corner. This is a very common type of triangle in quilting.

Hand piecing - when you sew all of the patches in a quilt top together by hand, not using a sewing machine.

Hand-piecing templates - pattern shapes used to cut fabric for hand piecing quilt tops. These pattern shapes do not include seam allowances - so you must remember to add the 1/4" seam allowance before you cut.

Hand quilting - a series of running stitches made through all of the layers of a quilt that secure them together.

Hanging sleeve - a kind of tube or piece of fabric sewn to the back of a quilt so a rod can be inserted and used to hang the quilt on a wall.

Homespun - fabric woven with colored threads instead of printing the fabric after it is woven. Homespun fabric is generally plaid and looks the same on the front as it does on the back.

I - M

Inset seam - The type of seam that joins a piece of fabric into an angled opening between two other pieces of fabric that have already been joined.

In-the-ditch quilting - the process of quilting just next to the seams on a quilt. This is also called stitch- in-the-ditch

Ironing - moving a hot iron while it has contact with fabric. Often ironing can stretch and distort fabrics and seams. A better alternative is to press, where you just lay the hot iron down and lift straight up from the fabric.

Isosceles triangle - a triangle that has two equal sides.

Kaleidoscope - a quilt block pattern that is pieced so it looks like an image seen through a kaleidoscope

Knife-edge self-binding - an alternative to binding where seam allowances on the fabric of the quilt top and the fabric of the backing are turned under and meet evenly at the edges of the quilt. This eliminates adding a binding strip around the outside of the quilt.

Lap-quilting - hand quilting that is done while holding the quilt loosely in your lap without using a hoop.

Lattice - strips of fabric that are set between blocks and separate the blocks in a quilt.

Lengthwise grain - the threads of fabric that run parallel to the selvedge (the length) of the fabric

Lockstitch - a stitch made by a sewing machine when you sew several very short stitches or sew stitches in place which serves the same purpose as a knot.

Loft - the thickness of batting. Low loft is batting that isn't very puffy, while high loft batting is fairly thick and puffy.

Log Cabin - a popular quilt block that is sewn together beginning with a center square (often either red or yellow) and made larger by adding rectangular 'logs' onto the sides in a particular sequence. Usually one side of the block is made with light fabrics and the other side is made using dark fabrics.

Long-arm quilting machine - a special sewing machine that is used for machine quilting a quilt. The quilt is held taut on a large frame while the machine arm moves freely allowing the operator to create a quilting design on the quilt using free motion.

Machine applique - attaching fabric onto a fabric foundation using machine stitching instead of hand stitching.

Machine piecing - sewing patches in a quilt block together using a sewing machine instead of sewing them together by hand.

Machine quilting - creating quilting stitches on a quilt using a sewing machine instead of sewing them by hand.

Machine tension - the balance on your sewing machine between the top stitches and the stitches under your quilt created with the bobbin thread. Tension can be affected by the machine parts, type of thread, how the machine is threaded, the needle type, and also the type of fabric. The good news is that your tension can be adjusted to make your stitches look better.

Marking tools - any of a number of things, including pencils, markers, and chalk, that are used to mark a quilt for quilting.

N - P

Needle Threader - a device that helps feed the thread through the eye of a needle. There are needle threaders for hand sewing needles as well as machine needles.

Needle-turn applique - a method of applique where you use the point of your needle to turn the seam allowance of your applique piece as you stitch it onto the foundation piece.

Nine-patch - a block that is made up of 9 squares of fabric sewn together in three horizontal rows.

Notch - a small V shape that is clipped out of a seam allowance that makes a curve shape flat when the seams are joined.

On-point - quilt blocks that are positioned on the diagonal. For example, a square that is placed on a point (or corner) so that it looks like a diamond.

Outline quilting - quilting that is done 1/4" away from a seam line or edge of an applique shape.

Paper foundation - a thin piece of paper with a pattern that is used as the base for a quilt block when fabric is sewn directly on it.

Perle cotton thread - a soft thread that is kind of like yarn and is used for quilting, decorative stitching or embellishments.

Photo transfer - a technique for transferring photographs onto fabric to be used in a quilt.

Pieced border - blocks or pieced units sewn together to make a border for a quilt top.

Pillow tuck - the part of a quilt that is tucked under a pillow on a bed.

Pin basting - when you prepare a quilt for quilting by pinning the layers together. This is frequently done when you are machine quilting.

Pivot - when you leave the sewing machine needle in your fabric when you turn the fabric.

Ply - a single strand of thread. Often thread has more than one strand, and is called two ply or three ply.

Prairie points - folded fabric triangles that are used for a border on a quilt.

Preshrinking - washing and drying fabric before you cut it for a quilt to remove the chemical finishes and shrink it so it doesn't shrink in your quilt.

Presser foot - the removable sewing machine accessory surrounding the needle that holds the fabric in place.

Pressing - the process of picking a hot iron up off your fabric or quilt top and then putting it down in another place to remove the wrinkles. When you press your fabric, you do not slide the hot iron.

Pirmary colors - the three colors that are completely unique, not made from combinations of other colors - blue, red, and yellow. All other colors are combinations of these colors.

Puckered seams - seams that are uneven or pulled. This can be caused by an uneven amount of tension on the fabric as it is fed through the machine.

Q - R

Raw edge - an unfinished fabric edge

Reducing lens - a device that allows you to see a quilt as if it were several feet away.

Redwork - white or off-white fabric with images embroidered in red thread.

Reverse applique - an applique method where the foundation fabric is on top of the shape. The foundation piece is cut away to reveal the applique shape.

S - T

Sampler quilt - a quilt in which each block is a different pattern.

Sandpaper - typically used in workworking, but useful in templates for quilting. A shape can be cut from sandpaper and used to mark fabric.

Sashing - strips of fabric that are set between blocks and separate the blocks in a quilt.

Stitch-in-the-ditch quilting - the process of quilting just next to the seams on a quilt. This is also called stitch- in-the-ditch.

Template - a pattern made from a stiff material (not fabric) that is used to mark the shape of pieces of fabric to make a quilt or applique.

Template plastic - translucent plastic that is easy to cut and can be used to make templates to mark fabric for quilts. Designs can be traced on the surface.

U - Z

Unit - a combination of at least two pieces of fabric sewn together to form part of a block.

Universal needle - a sewing machine needle that is made to use on many types of fabric.

Variegated thread - thread in which the color changes down the strand.

Walking foot - a type of presser foot for a sewing machine that is made to make it easier to machine quilt. This presser foot bounces on the fabric layers so that all of the layers are more evenly fed to the needle for stitching.

Watercolor quilt - a quilt that is made up of many small squares of print fabric positioned so that each color blends into the next creating a watercolor effect.

Water soluble - thread, stabilizers and markers that dissolve in water.

Yo-yos - three dimensional fabric that is gathered into a circle and can be used for quilt tops or embellishments.

Zigzag stitch - a side-to-side stitch that can be used for machine applique. It can be shortened and closely spaced so it looks like a satin stitch.

Happy Quilting!

Penny is a quilter of more than 24 years who seeks to interest new quilters and provide them with the resources necessary to create beautiful quilts.

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©2007, Penny Halgren

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