Quilting Definitions
Appliqué ... The sewing technique for attaching pieces (appliqués) of fabric onto a background fabric. Appliqués may be stitched to the background by hand, using a blind stitch, or by machine, using a satin stitch or a blind hemstitch.
Basting ... The sewing technique for joining by hand layers of fabric or the layers of a quilt with large stitches. The stitching is temporary and is removed after permanent stitching.
Batting ... The layers or sheets of filler placed between two pieces of fabric to form a quilt. Its thickness varies, and it provides warmth.
Bias ... The grain of woven fabric that is at a 45 degree angle to the selvages.
Binding ... the strip of fabric used to cover the outside edges and batting of a quilt.
Block ... The basic unit of a quilt top.
Border ... A strip of fabric that is joined to the inner quilt to enhance it.
Echo quilting ... A type of outline quilting in which the first line of quilting is quilted in-the-ditch of the appliqué motif. The next line is quilted 1/4" away from the previous line.
Finger-pressing ... A method for forming temporary guidelines by taking fabric between your fingers and rubbing it to make a temporary crease.
Finished size... The measurement of a completed block or quilt.
Fusible web... A material that has been treated with an adhesive that fuses fabric pieces together when pressed with a warm iron.
Grain ... The lengthwise and crosswise threads of a woven fabric. A grainline arrow, printed on a pattern, helps you properly place your pattern on the fabric.
Hanging sleeve ... A tube of fabric blind stitched to the top edge of the quilt back through which a hanging rod or dowel can be inserted.
In-the-ditch quilting ... The stitching that is made alongside a seam or an appliqué edge.
Matchpoint ... The ending or pivoting place of a seam line.
Mitered seam ... A 45 degree angle seam.
Outline quilting ... Stitching that is made outside or inside the seam lines of patchwork or appliqué.
Patchwork ... The composite of pieces sewn together to form a large piece, such as a quilt.
Quick cutting ... the process of cutting fabric into strips and pieces using a rotary cutter, a thick, clear plastic ruler, and a cutting mat.
Quick piecing ... The machine-sewing method for joining fabric, instead of cutting it into pattern pieces.
Quick Triangles ... A grid system method to make half-square triangle squares.
Quilting ... The small, running stitches made through the layers of a quilt -- top, batting and backing -- to form decorative patterns on the surface of the quilt and to hold the layers together.
Quilting thread ... A heavy cotton thread that is used for hand quilting.
Raw edge ... The cut side of fabric.
Sashing ...The fabric that separates blocks in a setting, framing them and making the quilt larger. There are two basic kinds of sashing -- continuous and sashing with sashing posts.
Satin stitch ... A side-by-side stitch that resembles satin when completed.
Seam allowance ... The margin of fabric between the seam and the raw edge. For quilting, it is 1/4".
Seam line ... The guideline that the sewer follows while stitching.
Selvage ... The lengthwise finished edge on each side of the fabric.
Set or setting ... The organization of blocks in a quilt top.
Setting square ... The plain block or square used with patchwork or appliquéd blocks in a setting.
Setting triangle ... A triangle placed between blocks along the sides of a diagonal-set quilt.
