Glossary of QuiltingTerms
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appliqu้ [ap'lĭ-kā'] A decoration or ornament, as in needlework, made by cutting pieces of one material and applying them to the surface of another.
backing [bak'-ing] The cloth or pieces of cloth seamed together that form the underside of a quilt.
batting [bat'-ing] A US term referring to cotton, wool, or synthetic fibers in batts or sheets, used as filling for quilts or bedcovers. Also see Filler and Wadding.
Bell thread [bel thred] A brand of commercial thread often used to tack (tie) quilts.
bias [bī'əs] A line going diagonally across the grain of woven fabric. Cloth stretches more along the bias than in the directions parallel to the woven threads.
binding [bīn'-ding] A strip of material that protects or decorates the edge of a quilt. This term also refers to one of a number of methods to encase the raw edges of a quilt.
block [blŏk] A basic unit of quilt construction, often in the shape of a square, which is usually repeated and combined in rows to form a quilt top.
card [kไrdz] A carding machine is a machine with a pair of wooden paddles with rows of wire teeth used to card the fabric, that is to comb and parallel fibers of cotton, flax, wool, etc., prior to spinning to remove short, undesirable fibers and produce a sliver.
Cathedral Window [kə-thē'drəl wĭn'dō] A technique, very popular in the late 1970s, in which squares of fabric are folded then sewn together so that small pieces of contrasting fabric may be inserted to form a design of interlocking curves when many squares are sewn together. This novelty technique creates a fancy, finished bedcover which does not require quilting.
comfort [kŭm'fərt] A term closely associated with quilts meaning the condition or feeling of pleasurable ease, well-being, and contentment.
comforter [kŭm'fər-tər] Bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together, designed to provide warmth.
counterpane [koun'tər-pān'] A quilt or coverlet for a bed; bedspread. In other words, a textile intended to serve as a visible top layer when a bed is made up with several layers of bedcovers.
counterpin [koun'tər-pin'] A variant term for counterpane, used in South Midland and Southern USA. Also referred to as county pin.
crazy [krā'zē] A patchwork technique in which irregularly shaped pieces of fabric are attached to a cloth foundation. Crazy quilts may be decorated with embroidered designs.
cutaway [kŭt'ə-wā'] Remnants from clothing factories, sometimes sold to a quilt maker. Cutaways are usually in the form of irregular shapes.
diamond dye [dī'mənd dī] A brand of commercially manufactured dyes that are made for home use.
domestic [də-měs'tĭk] Unbleached muslin. This term dates from the 19th century when printed fabrics were typically imported and plain fabrics were typically manufactured domestically (US).
drafting [drāf'ting] The process of composing a quilt design as opposed to using a ready-made template or pattern. Drafts are often inspired by pictures or existing quilts.
fan [fan] Popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fan is a quilting design of repeated concentric arcs that forms an all-over stitching design usually unrelated to the design of the quilt top.
fancy quilting [fan'sē kwĭl'ting] The process of making quilts in which the decorative element is paramount. Fancy quilts generally have value and meaning beyond their mere use as a bedcover.
fat quarter [fat kw๔r'tər] A useful cut of fabric (also called the "fat" cut) where the yard is folded into four and cut, giving a square shape to the fabric. Instead of being 9" x 45", the fabric is one half of a half yard cut, making the piece approximately 28" x 22". This method of cutting the fabric allows more fabric to be available when making the sizes for the patchwork pieces in a patchwork quilt. Many quilters find this a more useable size for quilting than the skinny quarter.
feed bags [feed bagz] Cloth containers in which animal feed, flour, salt, sugar, or other bulk food was sold. These feed bags, or sacks, were taken apart so that the fabric could be used for clothing, quilts, and other needs.
filler [fĭl'ər] Cotton, down, or other material used to stuff or pad a quilt to give it warmth and a characteristic puffy look and feel. Also see Batting and Wadding.
frame [frām] A device, usually made of lengths of wood, used to hold layers of a quilt taut so that the quilt maker can smoothly quilt the fabric together without puckers or folds.
French knot [french nŏt] A decorative embroidery stitch made by looping the thread two or more times around the needle, which is then inserted into the fabric.
hoop [fĭl'ər] One of a pair of large circular wooden or metal frames used to hold material taut for the quilting process. A quilting hoop is more portable than a quilt frame but larger than an embroidery hoop.
linsey [lin'zee] .A coarse fabric woven from linen warp (lengthwise threads), or sometimes cotton, and coarse wool weft (crosswise threads) or filling.
marking [mahr'king] .One of the various processes used to transfer a design for quilting stitches onto a quilt top.
Mountain Mist [moun'tən mĭst] .A brand of commercial quilt batting sold by the Stearns & Foster Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, available since the middle of the 19th century. Quilters were provided with a source of new Mountain Mist patterns because quilt patterns were printed on the paper wrapped around the batting.
muslin [mŭz'lĭn] .A cotton fabric made in various degrees of fineness and often printed, woven, or embroidered in patterns, esp. a cotton fabric of plain weave. Unbleached muslin is very popular for quilt backing.
padding [pad'ing] .Stuffing, filling, or lining.
patchwork [pach'w๛rk'] .A patchwork quilt is made of pieces of cloth of various colors or shapes sewn together. Patchwork refers either to appliqu้ or to piecing, and usually it combines both processes.
pattern [pat'ərn] .Anything fashioned or designed to serve as a model, guide, or set of templates (often paper or cardboard) for a quilt or the pieces of the quilt to be made.
piecing [pē'sing] .A needlework process in which two pieces of fabric are joined together with a seam.
plain quilting [plān kwĭl'ting] .The technique of making quilts intended for a practical use as warm bedcovers rather than as decoration. However, even plain quilts generally offer aesthetic displays of color and pattern. Compare to fancy quilting.
quilt [kwĭlt] .A decorative textile coverlet or blanket made of three: a decorative top, a plain backing, and a fluffy filling between them. The layers may be tied (tacked) together with yarn knots; however, they are usually sewn together with stitches through all the layers.
quilting [kwĭl'ting] .A needlework technique in which someone stitches through layers of fabric and a filling so as to create a design. The term generally refers to the entire process of making a quilt.
Roebuck catalog [rō'bŭk' kat'l-๔g'] .A mail-order catalog distributed by the Sears and Roebuck company. See Sears, Roebuck.
running stitch [ruh'ning stĭch] .A hand-needlework method in which the needle gathers several stitches on it before it is drawn through the cloth with the thread. This running stitch is used both in quilting and in piecing.
sacks [saks] .Cloth containers in which animal feed, flour, salt, sugar, or other bulk food was sold. These sacks, were taken apart so that the fabric could be used for clothing, quilts, and other needs. Also see feed bags.
sashing [sash'ing] .The strips of fabric that are often used to separate and join the blocks of a quilt.
Sears, Roebuck [s๎rz rō'bŭk'] .The pioneering company of mail-order merchandising in the late 19th century. Quiltmakers often used the pages from the Sears catalog as a basis for string patchwork.
secret tacking [sē'krĭt ta'king] .A needlework technique used in quilting where the needle and thread travel through the filler between stitches. These stitches are farther apart than the stitches in a running stitch, but closer together and less visible than knots from tacking.
string patchwork [strĭng pach'w๛rk'] .A quilting technique in which long, narrow sewing remnants are sewn into a cloth or paper foundation. The only difference between string patchwork and crazy patchwork is that the strings are typically longer and narrower than in a crazy quilt.
strip [strĭp] .A method of construction in which long, narrow pieces of fabric are joined lengthwise (often with long rows of quilt blocks) to form a quilt top. The term also refers to the long pieces of cloth between blocks (sashing) or to the small, narrow remnants used in string patchwork.
tacking [ta'king] .The technique of using yarn knots to tie the layers of a quilt or comforter together. Tacking is a method often used with thick bedcovers.
template [těm'plĭt] .A precise quilting pattern, often made of paper or cardboard, used to size the individual pieces of fabric when they are cut for patchwork. Also used to mark the finished design for the quilt top.
thimble [thĭm'bəl] .A small cap, usually of metal, worn over the fingertip to protect it when pushing a needle through cloth in sewing or quilting.
top [tŏp] . The uppermost part of a quilt. The top of the quilt, the front, is the layer that is usually intended to be seen.
tradition [trə-dĭsh'ən] . A time-honored practice or set of such practices. Quilting is a popular American tradition.
tying [tī'ing] . To fasten or secure by drawing together with knots. See Tacking.
wadding [wŏd'ing] A UK term referring to a small mass of soft material, often folded or rolled, used for padding, stuffing, or packing. Also see Batting and Filler.
wall hanging [w๔l hāng'ing] .Typically smaller in size than a bed quilt, a wall hanging is designed to be displayed as a decoration.
whole cloth [hōl kl๔th] .A quilt or bedcover in which the top is a single piece of fabric or lengths of fabric joined together rather than being a patchwork quilt. The top of a whole cloth may be decorated with print or another design in some way.
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