Quilters Glossary

Quilters Glossary

Album Quilt Also called a Friendship or Presentation quilt. These quilts are usually made up from blocks by different makers, that are signed and the finished quilt presented to someone as a special gift.
Information and pattern for Album quilts.

Applique A design made by cutting shapes of one or more fabrics and applying them to another piece of fabric. Basic applique instructions

Backing This refers to the bottom layer of the quilt. It is usually made up of a single piece of fabric in small quilts or pieced together sections of one fabric for large quilts. Many quilters will also piece designs on their backings.

Baste A method of securing the layers of your quilt together using large loose stitches. You can also do what is called pin basting, which is done by securing the layers together with small safety pins.

Batting The center layer of a quilt. Can be purchased in a wide range of sizes, lofts, as well as fiber contents.

Binding A narrow strip of fabric used to finish off the raw edges of a quilt.

Border Fabric strips either plain, pieced, or appliqued that go around the outside section of a quilt.

Coverlet A small quilt as in a lap sized quilt.

Crazy Quilt A method of stitching irregular and random pieces of fabric to form a quilt block. Many have decorative stitching added on the seam lines.

Foundation Paper Piecing A method of piecing a block by sewing fabric directly to a paper pattern and removing paper after all sewing is complete.
Directions for Foundation Paper Piecing

Grain
The grain of a fabric refers to the direction of the threads that made up the material. The graphic here shows the parts of a fabric.

Hanging Sleeve A strip of fabric usually muslin, attached to the top back of a quilt in order for the quilt to be hung for display. Instructions for making a hanging sleeve

Mitered Corner
When two strips of fabric are joined at a 45 degree angle to form a 90 degree corner as shown in diagram.

Prairie Points This is a triangle shaped edge used to finished the outer edges of a quilt. They are made by folding squares of fabric. Instructions for making Prairie Points.

Sashing Strips of fabric used to separate blocks in a quilt top. They can be plain, pieced or appliqued.

Template This is a copy of a pattern piece that is used to aid in transferring the pattern to the fabric. Usually made of a stiff material like plastic or cardboard.

Whole Cloth Quilt A quilt in which the top layer consists of a single fabric that is quilted usually with an intricate design.

Album Quilt	Also called a Friendship or Presentation quilt. These quilts are usually made up from blocks by different makers, that are signed and the finished quilt presented to someone as a special gift. Information and pattern for Album quilts.
Applique	A design made by cutting shapes of one or more fabrics and applying them to another piece of fabric. Basic applique instructions
Backing	This refers to the bottom layer of the quilt. It is usually made up of a single piece of fabric in small quilts or pieced together sections of one fabric for large quilts. Many quilters will also piece designs on their backings.
Baste	A method of securing the layers of your quilt together using large loose stitches. You can also do what is called pin basting, which is done by securing the layers together with small safety pins.
Batting	The center layer of a quilt. Can be purchased in a wide range of sizes, lofts, as well as fiber contents.
Binding	A narrow strip of fabric used to finish off the raw edges of a quilt.
Border	Fabric strips either plain, pieced, or appliqued that go around the outside section of a quilt.
Coverlet	A small quilt as in a lap sized quilt.
Crazy Quilt	A method of stitching irregular and random pieces of fabric to form a quilt block. Many have decorative stitching added on the seam lines.
Foundation Paper Piecing	A method of piecing a block by sewing fabric directly to a paper pattern and removing paper after all sewing is complete. Directions for Foundation Paper Piecing
Grain		The grain of a fabric refers to the direction of the threads that made up the material. The graphic here shows the parts of a fabric.
Hanging Sleeve	A strip of fabric usually muslin, attached to the top back of a quilt in order for the quilt to be hung for display. Instructions for making a hanging sleeve
Mitered Corner		When two strips of fabric are joined at a 45 degree angle to form a 90 degree corner as shown in diagram.
Prairie Points	This is a triangle shaped edge used to finished the outer edges of a quilt. They are made by folding squares of fabric. Instructions for making Prairie Points.
Sashing	Strips of fabric used to separate blocks in a quilt top. They can be plain, pieced or appliqued.
Template	This is a copy of a pattern piece that is used to aid in transferring the pattern to the fabric. Usually made of a stiff material like plastic or cardboard.
Whole Cloth Quilt	A quilt in which the top layer consists of a single fabric that is quilted usually with an intricate design.