Quilting Terms

Please refer to these quilting terms as you work through the lessons. I made the definitions brief so they're easier to learn. You know me, I like to keep things simple!

Album Quilt
Another name for a sampler quilt.

Backing
The bottom or back layer of a quilt.

Baste
Temporary stitching or pinning of the quilt layers

Batting
The middle layer of the quilt sandwich. Batting provides warmth and thickness with its fluffy fibers.

Bearding
When the batting fibers poke through the quilt fabric.

Bias
The diagonal grain of a piece of fabric. It stretches easily and must be handled gently.

Binding
Strips of fabric that enclose the raw edges of a quilt.

Block
Several pieces of fabric sewn together to form one unit or (block).

Borders
Strips of fabric sewn to the top, bottom and sides of a quilt.

Crosswise Grain
Grain line that runs at a right angle to the selvages.

Fat Quarter
A cut of fabric that measures 18" x 22".

Finished Size
Size of the quilt after you attach the binding.

Lengthwise Grain
Grain line that runs parallel to the selvages.

Loft
The thickness of your batting.

Machine Piecing
The process of sewing pieces of fabric together with a sewing machine.

Machine Quilting
When you use your sewing machine to quilt all three layers together.

Marking Tools
Pens or pencils that you use to mark your quilt top.

Quilt Sandwich
The top, middle and back layers of a quilt.

Quilt Top
The finished layer after all your blocks and borders have been sewn together.

Quilt Block Setting
Refers to the way you arrange your quilt blocks. Quilters use straight and diagonal settings the most. In a straight set, you place your blocks in horizontal and vertical rows. In a diagonal set, you place your blocks on their points. Diagonal settings are more challenging because they involve triangles.

Quilting Foot
A presser foot that allows you to sew accurate 1/4" seam allowances.

Raw Edge
The unstitched edges of a piece of fabric.

Sampler Quilt
A quilt top where each block has a unique design. Also called Album Quilt.

Sashing
Strips of fabric sewn around quilt blocks. This gives a framing effect.

Seam allowance
The width of a seamline. Quilters use 1/4" seam allowances.

Selvages
The tightly woven edges of fabric. They run parallel to the lengthwise grain.

Setting
The arrangement of quilt blocks.

Strip Piecing
Where you sew long strips of fabric together and then cut smaller units from it.

Walking Foot
A special presser foot used in the quilting process. It feeds all three layers through the sewing machine at the same rate. This prevents shifting and puckering.

I'll add more quilting terms as it becomes necessary. If there's a quilting term you think I should add to this list, let me know.