Complete List of Common Quilting Terms: A–Z Glossary, Abbreviations and Precut Sizes

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Quilting has its own vocabulary, but the essentials are easier than they first appear. A quilt is usually made from a quilt top, batting or wadding, and backing. Fabric pieces may be joined by piecing, shapes may be added with appliqué, and the layers are secured by quilting or tying. This glossary explains the common modern terms you are most likely to encounter in a pattern, fabric shop, class, longarm service listing, or quilting tutorial.

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U.S. measurements and terminology are used by default. Some terms vary by country, publisher, designer, historical period, or manufacturer. When a pattern defines a term differently, the pattern’s definition and cutting instructions take precedence.

Quilting in one minute: the basic anatomy

Quilt top + batting/wadding + backing = quilt sandwich → baste → quilt or tie → trim → bind

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A conventional quilt has three layers: the decorative top, a middle filling, and a backing. The Library of Congress describes this basic structure and the related vocabulary in its quilts and quiltmaking resources.

Quilt

A textile generally made by joining a top, filling, and backing with stitching or ties. In everyday speech, quilt can also mean the entire craft of making such an object.

Quilt top

The upper, visible layer. It may be pieced from many pieces, appliquéd, embroidered, or made from one large piece of fabric.

Batting, wadding, filler

The middle layer that gives a quilt warmth, loft, softness, and body. Batting is common in U.S. usage; wadding is common in the U.K. and some publishing contexts.

Backing

The bottom fabric layer, normally cut slightly larger than the top and batting before quilting.

Quilt sandwich

The layered top, batting, and backing prepared for basting and quilting.

Quilting

Technically, the stitching or tying that secures the three layers. More broadly, it can mean the entire process of making a quilt.

Piecing or patchwork

Joining separate fabric pieces to construct a quilt top. Piecing is not the same as quilting, although both are part of quiltmaking.

Whole-cloth quilt

A quilt whose top is made from one large piece of fabric rather than patchwork. Its design may come from quilting, appliqué, embroidery, or printed fabric.

Tied quilt

A quilt secured at intervals with yarn, thread, or other ties instead of continuous quilting stitches.

The usual quiltmaking sequence

1. Choose a pattern and fabrics. Check the finished dimensions, skill level, fabric requirements, seam allowance, and any special tools.
2. Prepare the fabric. Prewash and dry it if that is your chosen method, or use it unwashed if the pattern and your quilting practice call for that approach.
3. Identify the fabric. Find the selvage, lengthwise and crosswise grains, right side, wrong side, and any directional print.
4. Cut the pieces. Use the specified cut sizes. Accurate rotary cutting is especially important for units such as HSTs and Flying Geese.
5. Piece or appliqué the top. Sew patches into units, units into blocks, and blocks into rows or a larger composition. Appliqué may happen before or after piecing.
6. Add sashing and borders. Assemble the quilt center, alternate blocks, setting triangles, sashing, cornerstones, and borders in the order the pattern specifies.
7. Make the quilt sandwich. Layer the backing, batting, and top, usually with the wrong side of the backing facing down.
8. Baste or load the quilt. Use pins, spray, thread, or tacking for a domestic-machine or hand project; load it onto a frame for longarm work.
9. Quilt the layers. Choose hand quilting, domestic-machine quilting, longarm quilting, walking-foot quilting, free-motion quilting, or ties.
10. Trim and square the quilt. Remove excess batting and backing and make the edges as straight and even as practical.
11. Bind or self-bind the edges. Apply a separate binding strip, or use the backing or top fabric for a self-bound finish.
12. Label, wash, block, or display. Add a label and hanging sleeve when appropriate. Washing and blocking are optional finishing or care steps.

This sequence is a useful default, not a rule for every construction. A whole-cloth quilt may skip piecing; a tied quilt does not use conventional quilting stitches; a quilt-as-you-go project changes the order; and some cathedral-window constructions do not use a conventional batting-and-quilting sequence. In lap quilting, individual blocks may be quilted before they are assembled, as described in the PBS America Quilts glossary.

The 25 terms beginners need first

Quilt-pattern abbreviations cheat sheet

Abbreviations are not perfectly standardized. For example, PP may mean paper piecing in one pattern and be used as shorthand for foundation paper piecing in another. Always check the pattern’s key.

These usages are reflected in abbreviation references from the American Sewing Guild, Jaybird Quilts, and APQS longarm terminology.

Fabric, grain, color, and shopping terms

Grain and fabric anatomy

Selvage or selvedge

The firm, finished lengthwise edge of woven fabric. Both spellings are used. Selvages are usually removed before piecing unless a pattern deliberately uses them.

Lengthwise grain

The threads running parallel to the selvage, also called the warp. It is generally the most stable grain.

Crosswise grain

The threads running from selvage to selvage, also called the weft in fabric terminology.

Warp and weft

Warp threads run lengthwise; weft threads run across the width.

Straight of grain, or SOG

Either the lengthwise or crosswise grain. It is normally more stable than bias.

Bias

A diagonal direction across woven fabric. Bias has more stretch and can distort more easily than straight grain.

True bias

The 45-degree direction between the lengthwise and crosswise grains. A cut that is merely diagonal is not necessarily true bias.

On grain and off grain

On grain means the fabric’s woven structure is aligned correctly; off grain means it is skewed or distorted.

Right side and wrong side

The right side is the intended visible or printed face; the wrong side is the reverse. Some solids and batiks have little obvious difference.

WOF

Width of fabric, usually measured between the selvages. A WOF strip is not necessarily a precise 42- or 44-inch strip because usable width varies after selvages are removed.

LOF

Length of fabric. This abbreviation is less universal than WOF, so a pattern should define it.

Color and print vocabulary

Value

The relative lightness or darkness of a fabric, independent of its hue. Value contrast often determines whether a block design reads clearly.

Scale

The apparent size of a print’s motifs relative to the other fabrics in the quilt.

Directional print

A print with a visually important up-and-down or left-and-right orientation. It may require extra fabric to keep motifs aligned.

Tone-on-tone, or TOT

A fabric that reads as one color but contains a subtle print or tonal variation.

Novelty or conversation print

A fabric with recognizable motifs such as animals, food, hobbies, holidays, or other themed objects.

Batik

Fabric patterned with dye-resist methods, often involving wax. Batiks may have a less obvious right and wrong side.

Flannel

Fabric with a brushed or napped surface. It may stretch, ravel, and handle differently from quilting cotton.

Muslin

Plain cotton fabric often used for backgrounds, foundations, test blocks, or backing.

Homespun

Fabric whose color comes from dyed yarns rather than only from a print applied to the surface.

Greige goods

Raw, unfinished fabric before dyeing, printing, or other finishing.

Hand

The way fabric feels and behaves: its softness, stiffness, drape, weight, or body.

Prewashing and dye behavior

Prewashing or preshrinking

Washing and drying fabric before cutting to remove some manufacturing finishes and account for some shrinkage. Whether to prewash is a maker’s choice, but be consistent within a project.

Bleeding

Dye transferring from one fabric to another during wet washing.

Crocking

Color transferring through friction or rubbing, even without a full wash.

Colorfastness or color retention

The ability of a fabric to keep its color during use, exposure, and washing. Test uncertain fabrics before combining them.

Precuts at a glance

Precut dimensions are nominal. Pinked edges, shrinkage, fabric width, trimming, and manufacturing variation affect the usable size. Brand names and piece counts are especially product-specific.

Moda’s precut information and product materials explain its charm packs, mini charms, layer cakes, jelly rolls, and dessert rolls. When a pattern calls for a branded precut, check the product listing rather than relying only on the name.

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Cutting, measuring, and pattern terms

Rotary cutter

A circular blade tool used with a ruler and cutting mat to cut fabric accurately. Keep the blade closed whenever it is not in use.

Rotary-cutting mat or self-healing mat

A gridded surface that protects the worktable and helps guide rotary cutting. Rotate the mat rather than twisting it during cutting.

Acrylic ruler or quilting ruler

A transparent, marked ruler used to measure and guide a rotary cutter.

Straightedge

A firm straight tool used to draw or cut a straight line. A rotary ruler is preferable when the edge will guide a rotary blade.

Template

A shape used to trace or cut fabric. Its seam allowance may be included or added separately, so read the pattern carefully.

Template plastic

Durable transparent plastic used to make reusable templates.

Stencil

A guide with openings used to mark a quilting design onto fabric.

Marking tool

A pencil, chalk, removable pen, Hera marker, or other tool used to transfer cutting or quilting lines. Test removability on a scrap.

Pounce

Powder or chalk applied through a stencil to transfer a quilting design.

Awl, stiletto, or Hera marker

An awl or stiletto helps position fabric without putting fingers near a needle. A Hera marker creases a temporary line without depositing ink.

Die-cutting

Cutting fabric with a shaped die and a compatible die-cutting machine. It can produce repeatable pieces, but the die’s dimensions and seam allowance must match the pattern.

Subcut

Cutting a previously cut strip or piece into smaller units. For example, a strip set may be subcut into rectangles.

Fussy cut

Cutting fabric deliberately to place a particular motif, rather than cutting wherever the shape happens to fall.

Cutting on the fold

Placing a template or fabric edge on a folded fabric edge so the resulting piece is symmetrical or larger when opened. The pattern must indicate whether the fold replaces a seam or cut edge.

Cut on the bias

Cutting diagonally across woven fabric. True bias is 45 degrees and is stretchier than straight grain.

Cut on the straight grain

Cutting parallel or perpendicular to the selvage, normally for greater stability.

Cut size

The measurement of a fabric piece before sewing.

Unfinished size

The measurement of a unit after it is sewn together but before it is sewn into the next unit. It includes the seam allowances that will disappear into later seams.

Finished size

The measurement after the unit is sewn into the quilt and its joining seam allowances are no longer part of the visible unit.

Seam allowance

The fabric between the stitching line and the cut edge. A ¼-inch seam allowance is common in patchwork, but it is not mandatory for every technique.

Dog ears

Small triangular fabric points that extend beyond a sewn seam, especially on half-square-triangle units. They are usually trimmed before assembly.

Pinking blade or pinking shears

A zigzag cutting tool that can reduce fraying. A pinked edge is not automatically a precise usable measurement.

Squaring up

Trimming a block or unit so its sides, corners, and measurements are accurate.

Trimming

Removing excess fabric, batting, or backing to reach the intended dimensions or create a clean edge.

Finished, unfinished, and cut measurements

These three measurements are easy to confuse:

• A square cut at 5 inches has a 5-inch cut size.
• After sewing it into a larger unit, it may have a specified unfinished size that includes the joining seam allowance.
• Once it is sewn into the quilt, its visible finished size is smaller.

A pattern calling for a 12-inch block may mean a 12-inch finished block that measures 12½ inches before it is joined to neighboring blocks. The pattern’s definitions control. The Illinois State Museum glossary provides useful distinctions involving finished dimensions and seam allowances.

Piecing, appliqué, seams, and construction

Patch, piece, piecing, patchwork

A patch or piece is an individual fabric component. Piecing is sewing those components together; patchwork is the resulting construction or textile.

Unit

A small assembled section, such as an HST, Flying Geese unit, or four-patch, that will be combined with other units.

Block

A larger design unit made from patches and units. A block may be completed individually or formed as part of a row or larger assembly.

Assembly-line piecing

Making several identical units through the same sequence of steps rather than completing one block at a time.

Chain piecing

Sewing successive pieces without cutting the thread between them, leaving a chain of joined units that is later snipped apart.

Strip piecing

Sewing fabric strips together and then cutting the strip set into smaller units. It saves time and can improve consistency.

Machine piecing

Constructing the quilt top with a sewing machine.

Hand piecing

Constructing the quilt top with hand stitching.

Foundation piecing

Piecing fabric against a stable foundation, such as paper or fabric, to control precise shapes and seam lines.

Foundation paper piecing, FPP or PP

Sewing fabric to the printed side or marked side of a paper foundation in a numbered sequence. It is useful for sharp points and complex geometry. Remove the paper when instructed.

English Paper Piecing, EPP

Wrapping fabric around paper shapes, basting or gluing it in place, and hand stitching the fabric shapes together. The paper is removed later.

Appliqué

Attaching fabric shapes to a foundation rather than joining all shapes edge to edge. A quilt top may combine appliqué and piecing.

Hand appliqué

Applying shapes with hand stitches.

Machine appliqué

Applying shapes with a sewing machine, often with a zigzag, satin, blanket, or decorative stitch.

Needle-turn appliqué

Turning the raw edge of an appliqué shape under with a needle as it is stitched down.

Raw-edge appliqué

Attaching a shape without turning its edge under. The raw edge may be secured with stitching or allowed to fray for a particular effect.

Reverse appliqué

Layering fabric and cutting away the upper layer so the lower fabric appears through the opening.

Fusible web and fusible appliqué

A heat-activated adhesive material bonds an appliqué shape to the background. The edge is often stitched for durability.

Broderie perse

Appliqué made by cutting printed motifs from one fabric and arranging them on another.

Freezer-paper appliqué

Using freezer paper as a temporary shaping or positioning aid for appliqué. The specific method varies by designer.

Stitch-and-flip

Sewing a smaller square or triangle to a base piece and then folding or trimming it to create a corner or angled section.

Partial seam

A seam that is intentionally started or stopped before the full edge is sewn, allowing pieces to be added in a particular order.

Set-in seam, inset seam, or Y-seam

A seam joining pieces where the seam lines meet at an interior point rather than at a simple edge. Accurate marking and stitching are important.

Easing

Distributing a small amount of extra fabric into a seam without creating pleats or tucks.

Matching points

Aligning marked seam intersections, corners, or design points before sewing.

Directional stitching

Sewing in a specified direction to help prevent stretching or distortion, especially on bias edges or long seams.

Notch or V-clip

Removing a small wedge from a seam allowance, often on a curved seam, to reduce bulk and help the edge lie flat. Do not clip through the stitching.

Seam ripper

A small tool for removing stitches. It is a normal precision tool, not evidence of failure.

Pressing is not ironing

Pressing

Placing the iron down and lifting it to flatten or shape a seam. This minimizes stretching.

Ironing

Moving the iron back and forth across the fabric. That motion can distort accurately cut pieces, so quilting instructions usually say press.

Setting a seam

Pressing the sewn seam while it is still closed before opening it or pressing it to one side.

Press open

Spread the seam allowances to opposite sides and press them flat.

Press to one side

Fold both seam allowances toward one fabric and press.

Press to the dark side

A common suggestion for reducing the visibility of a seam allowance beneath a light fabric. It is advice, not an absolute rule; design, bulk, nesting, and the pattern may dictate another direction.

Nesting seams

Pressing adjacent seam allowances in opposite directions so they butt against each other at an intersection. Nesting can make points easier to match.

The quarter-inch seam

A traditional patchwork seam allowance is ¼ inch. A scant ¼-inch seam is slightly narrower than a true quarter inch, often by one or two thread widths. Some quilters use it to compensate for the thickness of folded fabric, but not every pattern requires it.

Foundation paper piecing, appliqué, curved seams, English Paper Piecing, binding, and specialty techniques may use different allowances. Test your machine, presser foot, thread, and fabric by sewing a sample unit. Measure the result against the pattern’s required finished or unfinished size rather than trusting a foot marking alone. See the AccuQuilt glossary and this explanation of scant quarter-inch seams for the precision issue.

Hand stitches and embellishment

Backstitch

A strong stitch formed by bringing the needle back into the previous stitch area.

Lockstitch

A stitch that secures thread by locking it in place, commonly produced by a sewing machine.

Running stitch

A simple in-and-out stitch used in hand piecing, hand quilting, embroidery, and basting.

Whipstitch

A stitch that passes over an edge, often used to join English Paper Piecing shapes or secure an appliqué edge.

Blanket stitch or buttonhole stitch

An edge stitch used for appliqué and decorative work.

Satin stitch

Couching

Securing a cord, yarn, ribbon, or heavier thread to the surface with small stitches.

Embellishment

Decorative additions such as embroidery, beads, buttons, ribbons, or specialty threads.

Beading

Attaching beads to a textile as decoration.

Embroidery

Decorative stitching worked on fabric by hand or machine.

Common quilt units, blocks, and geometry

For QST construction, the American Quilter’s Society explains why keeping straight grain on the long edge of the triangle improves stability. That grain consideration is one reason not to substitute a visually similar triangle cut in a different direction.

Layout and quilt-design terms

Setting

The arrangement of blocks in a quilt top.

Straight set

Blocks arranged in horizontal and vertical rows.

On point or diagonal set

Blocks rotated so their corners point up, down, left, and right. Setting triangles fill the spaces at the edges.

Row-by-row setting

Constructing the top in horizontal rows before joining the rows.

Vertical set

Arranging blocks in vertical columns or a vertically oriented layout.

Zigzag set

A layout in which blocks, rows, or units create a repeated zigzag movement.

Alternate block or setting square

A plain or contrasting block placed between pieced blocks to change the rhythm of a layout.

Sashing

Fabric strips separating blocks or framing the quilt center.

Sashing square or cornerstone

A small square placed where sashing strips meet.

Border

A strip or pieced section framing the quilt center.

Inner border

The border closest to the quilt center, often narrower than the outer border.

Outer border

The outermost framing strip.

Pieced border

A border made from units or blocks rather than one plain strip.

Directional border

A border whose fabric or design has an orientation that must be considered at the corners.

Scalloped border

A curved, repeating border with rounded scallops rather than a straight edge.

Medallion quilt

A quilt organized around a central block or motif, with successive borders or design rounds surrounding it.

Quilt center

The central block or group of blocks before borders are added.

Sampler quilt

A quilt made from a collection of different blocks, often to practice techniques or display varied designs.

Scrap quilt

A quilt made from many leftover or assorted fabrics.

Charm quilt

A quilt designed to use many different fabrics, traditionally with few or no intentional repeats. It is not the same thing as a charm pack, the precut product.

Album, friendship, autograph, or signature quilt

A quilt containing blocks, names, messages, or signatures contributed by different people.

Miniature quilt

A small quilt made with reduced-scale blocks, fabrics, and quilting; the exact size is not universal.

Wall quilt

A quilt intended primarily for hanging rather than use on a bed.

Memory quilt

A quilt made from meaningful clothing, photographs, uniforms, household textiles, or other personal materials.

Utility quilt

A quilt made primarily for practical use, warmth, or durability.

Art quilt

A quilt made primarily as an expressive or visual artwork rather than as a conventional bedcover.

Modern quilt

A broad contemporary category often associated with negative space, bold geometry, improvisation, or simplified palettes. It is not one fixed technical method.

Traditional, historical, and cultural terms

Names connected with communities and traditions should be treated as historical and cultural terms, not merely as color schemes or generic pattern formulas. The Library of Congress, PBS America Quilts, and AccuQuilt provide useful starting points, but a short glossary definition cannot represent the full history of any community.

Bargello

A strip-pieced style that creates flowing, flame-like, or wave-like color movement through carefully arranged fabric strips.

Baltimore Album

A nineteenth-century American album-quilt tradition associated with highly detailed appliqué blocks, often botanical or pictorial.

Amish quilt

Quilts associated with Amish communities and traditions. They should not be reduced to a simple black-and-bright color formula; styles and practices vary.

African American quilting

A broad field encompassing many makers, communities, histories, techniques, and visual languages. It is not one single style.

Gee’s Bend quilts

Quilts made by African American women and makers in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, with a distinctive local history and varied approaches. The name refers to a community and place, not a generic improvisational pattern.

Broderie perse

Appliqué made from motifs cut from printed fabric and arranged on a contrasting background.

Cathedral Window

A folded fabric construction that creates window-like openings and layered frames. Some versions do not require conventional batting and quilting.

Crazy quilt or crazy patch

An irregular patchwork arrangement, often embellished with decorative seams, embroidery, beads, or other surface work.

Dresden Plate

A circular design assembled from repeated wedge-shaped pieces, often finished with a central appliqué circle.

Drunkard’s Path

A curved-pieced block made from complementary concave and convex pieces. Curved seam accuracy and easing matter.

Grandmother’s Flower Garden

A hexagon-based design commonly assembled with English Paper Piecing into flower-like groups.

Hawaiian appliqué

A tradition associated with Hawaiian quilting and large, symmetrical appliqué motifs. It should be discussed with respect for its cultural context.

Log Cabin

A block structure in which strips or logs surround a central square. It has many layout variations.

Seminole patchwork

Strip-pieced textile traditions associated with Seminole communities. The name refers to a cultural tradition, not simply a zigzag pattern.

Sashiko

A Japanese decorative and functional stitching tradition, often worked in repeated geometric patterns. Sashiko stitching may be used in quilting but is not synonymous with all quilting.

Redwork

Embroidery traditionally worked in red thread, often using outline motifs.

Watercolor or color-wash quilt

A quilt arranged to create a painterly image or blended value transition from small printed or colored pieces.

Whitework

White-on-white or predominantly white decorative stitching, appliqué, or quilting.

Whole-cloth quilting

Decorative quilting worked on a single-piece top rather than a pieced top.

Trapunto

A raised quilting technique in which selected areas are padded or stuffed to create relief.

Boutis

A French raised textile technique involving closely stitched motifs and inserted cording or padding. It is related to, but not identical with, every use of the term trapunto.

Quilting methods and design vocabulary

Methods and equipment categories

Hand quilting

Securing the layers with hand stitches.

Machine quilting

Securing the layers with a sewing machine. This may be done on a domestic machine, midarm, or longarm.

Domestic-machine quilting

Quilting on a home sewing machine. The limited throat space can affect how a large quilt is rolled and managed.

Free-motion quilting, or FMQ

Moving the quilt manually in multiple directions while forming stitches. It can be done on a domestic machine or a longarm; free-motion does not automatically mean domestic-machine quilting.

Sit-down longarm

A longarm machine used without a standing frame, with the quilt supported on a table or work surface.

Longarm quilting, or LAQ

Quilting with a longarm machine-and-frame system. Longarm may describe the machine, the method, or a professional quilting service.

Walking-foot quilting

Machine quilting with a walking foot or even-feed foot that helps move multiple layers evenly.

Quilt as you go, or QAYG

Quilting smaller sections before joining them into a finished quilt.

Lap quilting

Quilting individual blocks or sections before assembling the entire quilt top.

Tied quilting

Securing the layers with discrete ties rather than continuous stitched lines.

Big-stitch quilting

Visible hand quilting worked with relatively large stitches and heavier thread, often perle cotton.

Ruler work

Guiding a quilting foot along a special ruler to make controlled straight or curved lines. Use the ruler foot and safety practices specified for the machine.

Computerized quilting

Using software and machine robotics to stitch a selected digital design.

Hand-guided quilting

Quilting in which the operator physically guides the machine to form the design, whether on a domestic machine or longarm.

Custom quilting

Quilting designed for particular blocks, motifs, borders, or areas instead of applying one repeated design everywhere.

Edge-to-edge, or E2E

A design that covers the quilt surface in an allover pattern, generally repeating from edge to edge.

Pantograph or panto

A continuous repeating quilting design used across the quilt, especially on longarm systems.

Allover design, or AOD

A quilting design distributed across the entire quilt rather than assigned individually to blocks.

Longarm terminology is not one single style. A longarm project may be hand-guided free motion, ruler-guided, computerized, pantograph or edge-to-edge, custom, or semi-custom. The APQS longarm glossary and Handi Quilter’s pantograph explanation distinguish these choices. They affect design control, density, preparation, and usually the cost of a professional service.

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Basting and quilting designs

Basting

Temporarily holding the quilt sandwich together before or during quilting.

Pin basting

Using safety pins or quilting pins through the layers.

Spray basting

Using temporary adhesive spray between layers. Follow the product’s ventilation and use instructions.

Thread basting

Holding layers together with removable hand stitches.

Tacking

A general term for temporary or permanent stitches or ties used to hold layers together.

Quilting distance

The maximum spacing between quilting lines recommended for a particular batting. Follow the batting manufacturer’s guidance.

Loft

The thickness or height of batting. Higher loft gives more relief but can be harder to quilt densely or manage under a domestic machine.

Stitch in the ditch, or SID

Stitching in or immediately beside a seam to emphasize the piecing and stabilize the layers.

Outline quilting

Quilting around the edge of a block, appliqué, or motif.

Echo quilting

Repeating a quilting line at a consistent distance around a motif or previous line.

Background or filler quilting

Dense or secondary quilting used to fill open areas and make surrounding motifs stand out.

Stippling

A small, continuous, irregularly curving filler design.

Meandering

A wandering quilting line that moves across the surface without following a strict repeated motif.

Crosshatching or grid quilting

Intersecting straight quilting lines that form a grid, diamonds, or squares.

Channel stitching

Parallel quilting lines forming channels between them.

Serpentine stitch

A gently wavy machine stitch or quilting line.

Feather quilting

A quilting motif based on a central spine and curved feather plumes.

Continuous-line quilting

A design that can be stitched in one connected path or a small number of connected paths.

Trapunto

Raised quilting that adds stuffing or extra batting beneath selected areas to create relief.

Relief

The raised or three-dimensional effect created by quilting, trapunto, stuffing, or contrasting density.

Tying or tufting

Securing the layers at selected points with thread, yarn, or another tie.

Bearding

Migration of batting fibers through the quilt top or backing. Severity depends on the batting, fabric weave, needle, thread, and quilting conditions.

Fiber migration

The movement of batting fibers through fabric, including the process that can produce bearding.

Puckering

Unwanted wrinkles or gathers in a seam or quilted area. Causes include uneven feeding, incorrect tension, insufficient basting, fabric distortion, or mismatched shrinkage.

Tension

The balance between upper thread and bobbin thread. Poor tension may create loops, eyelashes, or visible thread on the wrong side.

Drag

Resistance caused by the quilt’s weight or friction as it moves through a machine, often affecting stitch length and control.

Difficult to needle

A description of a dense, tightly woven, thick, or heavily layered project that requires more force or a different needle and thread combination.

Machines, tools, needles, and thread

Machine terms

Domestic sewing machine, or DSM

A home sewing machine used for piecing, appliqué, and sometimes quilting.

Longarm machine

A quilting machine with an extended throat mounted on a frame or used in a sit-down configuration. A longarm is not simply any large sewing machine.

Midarm machine

A machine with more throat space than many domestic machines but less than a full longarm system.

Throat space

The open area between the needle and the machine body. More throat space makes a bulky quilt easier to roll and maneuver.

Feed dogs

Toothed mechanisms beneath the presser foot that move fabric during ordinary sewing. They may be lowered or covered for free-motion work, depending on the machine.

Presser foot

The attachment that holds fabric against the feed dogs or plate while stitching.

Quarter-inch foot

A presser foot with a guide or edge intended to help create a quarter-inch seam. Test the resulting unit rather than assuming the guide is exact for every machine.

Walking foot or even-feed foot

A presser foot that helps feed multiple layers evenly, useful for straight-line quilting and some matching tasks.

Darning foot or free-motion foot

A foot designed to allow freer movement of fabric during free-motion quilting or darning.

Binding foot

A specialized foot intended to help attach binding; results vary by machine and binding method.

Cording foot

A foot with grooves or a channel for sewing over cord or multiple threads.

Knee lift

A lever operated by the knee to raise the presser foot while keeping both hands on the fabric.

Bobbin and bobbin case

The bobbin holds lower thread; the bobbin case or bobbin mechanism positions and tensions it, depending on the machine design.

Bobbin-fill thread

Thread wound onto a bobbin. It may be lighter or matched to the top thread depending on the project.

Machine tension and tension dial

The machine settings that balance upper and lower thread. Adjust tension only after checking threading, needle, bobbin insertion, thread compatibility, and test stitching.

Needles and hand tools

Needle

A sharp tool with an eye for carrying thread through fabric. Choose size and type for the fabric, batting, thread, and technique.

Betweens

Short, sturdy hand-quilting needles designed for small, even stitches.

Sharps

General-purpose sharp hand-sewing needles, often used for piecing or appliqué.

Chenille needle

A sharp needle with a large eye, useful for heavier threads and some embroidery.

Darning needle

A needle used for mending, darning, or some hand quilting, with a relatively long eye.

Tapestry needle

A blunt needle with a large eye, useful for embroidery or weaving thread through fabric without splitting fibers.

Microtex needle

A sharp machine needle useful for closely woven fabrics and precision piecing; select the size appropriate to the thread and fabric.

Thimble

A protective tool worn on a finger to help push a hand needle.

Needle threader

A tool that helps pass thread through a small needle eye.

Seam ripper

A tool for removing stitches cleanly and selectively.

Stiletto or awl

A pointed tool for guiding fabric layers or opening a hole without placing fingers near the needle.

Thread and design tools

Perle cotton

A smooth, non-divisible thread often used for visible hand quilting and big-stitch work.

Quilting thread

Thread formulated or selected for hand or machine quilting. Weight, finish, fiber, and needle size should suit the project.

Hand-quilting thread

Thread designed for hand quilting, often stronger or more coated than ordinary sewing thread.

Monofilament thread

A nearly transparent thread used when a less visible quilting line is desired. Test for needle compatibility and heat sensitivity.

Metallic thread

Decorative thread containing metallic fibers or a metallic appearance. It may require a larger needle, slower speed, or special tension.

Variegated thread

Thread whose color changes along its length.

Ply

The number of strands twisted together to make a thread. Ply is not the same as thread weight.

Thread weight

A classification describing thread thickness. The numbering convention can be counterintuitive, so compare the manufacturer’s specifications.

Design wall

A vertical surface that holds fabric pieces or blocks temporarily so the layout can be viewed and rearranged.

Quilt hoop

A circular or oval frame that holds a small area taut during hand quilting or embroidery.

Quilt frame

A structure supporting the quilt while it is hand quilted or machine quilted.

Light box

A backlit surface used to trace patterns, align templates, or transfer designs.

Reducing lens

A lens or optical aid used to view a quilt or design at a reduced scale and assess overall value and composition.

Hera marker

A blunt marking tool that creases fabric to create a temporary line without ink.

Finishing, binding, display, and care

Trim

Cut away excess batting, backing, or uneven fabric after quilting.

Square up

Make the quilt or block as rectangular and even as possible by checking corners, edges, and diagonal alignment before binding.

Binding

Both the strip of fabric used to cover the raw edges and the process of attaching it.

Straight-grain binding

Binding cut along the lengthwise or crosswise grain. It is commonly used on straight quilt edges.

Bias binding

Binding cut on the bias. Its extra flexibility makes it particularly useful around curved or scalloped edges.

Single-fold binding

A binding strip folded once so one layer covers each side of the quilt edge.

Double-fold binding

A strip folded so two layers cover the edge. It is common for durable quilt binding.

Continuous binding

Binding made from one joined strip or a continuously cut strip rather than many individually attached pieces.

Mitered corner

A corner in which the binding folds diagonally to create a neat angled join.

Butted corner

A corner finished by bringing one binding section into another rather than folding a diagonal miter.

Binding join

The seam connecting the ends of a binding strip. A diagonal join usually distributes bulk better than a straight join.

Self-binding

Finishing the quilt edge with the backing or top fabric instead of applying a separate binding strip.

Knife-edge finish

A narrow, tailored edge finish in which the top and backing meet at the perimeter, often without a visible separate binding strip.

Birthed quilt

A construction in which the top, batting, and backing are sewn together around the perimeter and turned right side out before quilting or closing the opening.

Raw edge

An unfinished fabric edge. It may be intentionally visible in raw-edge appliqué or must be covered during binding.

Batting overhang

The extra batting extending beyond the quilt top before quilting and trimming.

Quilt label

A label recording information such as the maker, recipient, date, location, materials, or story.

Hanging sleeve

A fabric tube attached to the back for display on a rod. It is separate from a label.

Blocking

Carefully dampening and reshaping a quilt or textile so it dries straighter and more evenly.

Washing

Cleaning the finished quilt. The method should account for fabric, dyes, batting, quilting density, embellishment, and age.

Quilt care

Storage, washing, drying, display, and handling practices intended to protect the quilt from fading, distortion, moisture, pests, and unnecessary wear.

Pillow tuck

The extra quilt length folded behind or over a pillow at the head of a bed.

Drop

The portion of a quilt or bedcover that hangs over the sides or foot of a bed.

The American Sewing Guild explains binding and its common strip widths, while AllPeopleQuilt’s glossary covers self-binding, knife-edge finishes, mitered and butted corners, labels, sleeves, and related finishing terms.

Common confusion and troubleshooting

What does 2½-inch strips WOF mean?

It generally means cut strips 2½ inches wide across the usable width of the fabric, from selvage to selvage. It does not promise a strip exactly 42 or 44 inches long. Remove selvages, account for the actual usable width, and expect different bolts and fabrics to vary.

Is a fat quarter always exactly 18 × 22 inches?

No. Approximately 18 × 22 inches is a useful nominal U.S. measurement. The original fabric width, pinked or uneven edges, shrinkage, and trimming can reduce the usable area. Measure the actual cut when a pattern is close on yardage.

Why does my 12-inch block measure 12½ inches?

It may be a 12-inch finished block that is intended to measure 12½ inches unfinished. Finished size excludes the seam allowance that disappears when the block is joined to its neighbors.

Does every quilt use a quarter-inch seam?

No. A quarter-inch seam is common for patchwork, but a pattern may specify another allowance for appliqué, foundation piecing, curves, binding, or a specialty construction. Test a unit and measure it.

Is patchwork the same as a quilt?

No. Patchwork is the joining of separate fabric pieces. A quilt may have a patchwork top, but it may instead be whole-cloth, appliquéd, embroidered, or a combination.

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Does a diagonal cut always mean bias?

No. True bias is the 45-degree direction between lengthwise and crosswise grain. Other diagonal cuts may be off-bias and behave differently.

What does stitch in the ditch actually mean?

It means quilting in or immediately beside an existing seam, not necessarily forcing every stitch exactly into the seam depression. The goal is to stabilize the layers while making the quilting visually unobtrusive.

Why are my seams puckering?

Check the seam allowance, thread tension, needle, presser foot, feed direction, basting, fabric grain, and whether the fabrics have different shrinkage. Press rather than drag the iron, and avoid stretching bias edges. Uneven quilting density can also distort a finished top.

What is bearding?

Bearding is batting fiber migrating through the quilt top or backing. It can be affected by batting type, fabric weave, needle choice, thread, quilting density, and washing. It is not the same thing as ordinary lint on the surface.

What is the difference between bleeding and crocking?

Bleeding is dye transfer during wet washing. Crocking is color transfer caused by rubbing or friction. A fabric can be colorfast in one situation and still crock in another.

Is longarm quilting the same as free-motion quilting?

No. Longarm describes a machine-and-frame system, while free motion describes how the operator guides the quilting. A longarm job can be free-motion, pantograph, computerized, ruler-guided, custom, or edge-to-edge.

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Master A–Z index

Use this index for quick searching. Longer explanations appear in the subject sections above.

A

Acrylic ruler: transparent measuring and cutting ruler. All-over design/AOD: quilting distributed across the entire quilt. Appliqué: fabric shapes attached to a foundation. Assembly-line piecing: repeated units made through the same sequence.

B

Backing: bottom quilt layer. Bargello: flowing strip-pieced color design. Basting: temporary holding of quilt layers. Batting/wadding: middle filling layer. Beading: decorative beads attached to fabric. Bearding: batting fibers migrating through the quilt. Binding: edge-covering strip or process. Bias: diagonal fabric direction. Block: quilt design unit. Border: frame around a quilt center. Broderie perse: appliqué from printed motifs. Butted corner: binding corner finished without a diagonal miter.

C

Cathedral Window: folded window-like construction. Charm pack: commonly a package of 5-inch squares. Charm quilt: quilt using many different fabrics. Chain piecing: sewing successive units without cutting threads. Channel stitching: parallel quilting lines. Colorfastness: ability to retain color. Continuous-line quilting: connected quilting path. Cornerstone: square at a sashing intersection. Crosshatching: intersecting grid quilting. Crosswise grain: threads running selvage to selvage.

D

Directional print: oriented fabric design. Directional stitching: sewing in a specified direction. Domestic sewing machine/DSM: home sewing machine. Dog ears: points extending beyond a seam. Drop: portion hanging over a bed edge. Dresden Plate: circular wedge-based design. Drunkard’s Path: curved-pieced design.

E

E2E: edge-to-edge quilting. Easing: distributing extra fabric into a seam. EPP: English Paper Piecing. Equilateral triangle: three equal sides. Embroidery: decorative stitching.

F

F8: fat eighth. Fat quarter/FQ: approximately 18 × 22-inch cut. Finished size: measurement after joining. Flying Geese: rectangular triangle unit. FMQ: free-motion quilting. Foundation piecing/FPP/PP: sewing against a foundation. Four-Patch: four-square unit. Freezer-paper appliqué: appliqué using freezer paper as an aid.

G

Gee’s Bend quilts: quilts associated with a historic African American quilting community in Alabama. Greige goods: unfinished fabric before dyeing or printing.

H

Hand quilting: hand stitching that secures layers. Hand: fabric feel and drape. Hexagon: six-sided shape. Honey bun: vendor-associated narrow strip roll. Homespun: yarn-dyed fabric. HST: half-square triangle or the corresponding square unit.

I

Inset seam: another name for a set-in seam or Y-seam. Inner border: border nearest the quilt center.

J

Jelly roll: commonly a roll of 2½-inch-wide strips, strongly associated with Moda.

K

Knee lift: lever for raising the presser foot. Knife-edge finish: narrow finish without a separate visible binding.

L

LA/LAQ: longarm or longarm quilting. Lap quilting: quilting sections before assembly. Layer cake: commonly a package of 10-inch squares. Lengthwise grain: threads parallel to selvage. LOF: length of fabric. Log Cabin: block built from strips around a center square. Longarm: extended-throat quilting machine and frame system.

M

Machine appliqué: appliqué attached by machine. Machine quilting: securing layers by machine. Marking tool: tool for temporary lines. Medallion quilt: quilt built around a central motif. Memory quilt: quilt made from personal textiles. Microtex needle: sharp machine needle. Mini charm: commonly a 2½-inch square precut. Modern quilt: broad contemporary design category. Muslin: plain cotton fabric.

N

Needle-turn appliqué: appliqué with edges turned under as sewn. Nesting seams: opposing seam allowances butted at an intersection. Nine-Patch: nine-square unit. Novelty print: recognizable themed print. Notch/V-clip: wedge removed from a seam allowance.

O

On grain: fabric aligned with its woven grain. On point: diagonal block setting. One-Patch: design built from one repeated shape. Outer border: outermost frame.

P

Paper piecing: potentially FPP or EPP, depending on context. Patch: individual fabric component. Patchwork: joined fabric pieces. Pantograph/panto: repeating longarm design. Partial seam: seam intentionally sewn in stages. Perle cotton: visible hand-quilting thread. Piecing: joining fabric pieces. Pin basting: basting with pins. Pinking blade: zigzag cutting blade. Pressing: lifting and placing the iron. Puckering: unwanted wrinkles or gathers.

Q

QAL: quilt-along. QAYG: quilt as you go. QST: quarter-square triangle. Quilt: layered textile secured by stitching or ties. Quilt sandwich: top, batting, and backing. Quilt top: visible upper layer. Quilting: securing the layers or the wider craft. Quilting distance: spacing recommendation for batting. Quilt label: information label. Quilt sleeve: hanging sleeve. Quilt frame/hoop: support for quilting. Quarter-inch foot: presser foot for approximate quarter-inch seams.

R

Raw-edge appliqué: appliqué with unturned edges. Rail Fence: strip-based rail-like design. Reducing lens: optical aid for viewing overall design. Relief: raised three-dimensional effect. Reverse appliqué: lower fabric revealed through a cut opening. Right side: intended visible face. Right triangle: triangle with a 90-degree angle. RST: right sides together. Running stitch: simple hand stitch.

S

Sashing: strips separating blocks. Sashiko: Japanese stitching tradition. Scalloped border: rounded edge border. Scant quarter inch: slightly narrower-than-quarter-inch seam. Scrap quilt: quilt from assorted fabrics. Seam allowance/SA: fabric between stitch line and edge. Seam ripper: stitch-removal tool. Selvage/selvedge: finished lengthwise fabric edge. Setting: block arrangement. Setting triangle: triangle filling on-point edges. Set-in seam/Y-seam: seam meeting at an interior point. Sharps: sharp hand needles. SID: stitch in the ditch. Sit-down longarm: longarm without a standing frame. SOG: straight of grain. Square up: trim to accurate shape. Stippling: irregular filler quilting. Stitch-and-flip: corner construction method. Straight set: horizontal and vertical block arrangement. Straight-grain binding: binding cut on straight grain. Strip piecing: piecing strips before subcutting. Subcut: cutting a previously cut piece.

T

Tacking: temporary or permanent holding stitches. Tapestry needle: blunt large-eye needle. Template: shape guide. Template plastic: reusable template material. Throat space: open area between needle and machine body. Tone-on-tone: subtly printed fabric that reads as one color. Thread basting: basting with removable stitches. Thread weight: thread thickness classification. Tied quilt: quilt secured with ties. Trapunto: raised padded quilting.

U

Unfinished size: measurement before joining to another unit. UFO: unfinished object. Utility quilt: quilt made mainly for practical use.

V

Value: relative lightness or darkness. Variegated thread: thread with changing colors.

W

Walking foot: even-feed presser foot. Warp: lengthwise threads. Watercolor quilt: painterly value or color arrangement. Weft: crosswise threads. Whole-cloth quilt: quilt with a one-piece top. Whitework: predominantly white decorative work. WIP: work in progress. WOF: width of fabric. Wrong side/WST: reverse face or wrong sides together.

Y

Y-seam: set-in seam where three seams meet at a point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all quilts need batting?

No. A conventional quilt usually has batting between the top and backing, but some whole-cloth, tied, quilt-as-you-go, or cathedral-window constructions may use different materials or sequencing. Follow the specific pattern.

What is the difference between FPP and EPP?

Foundation paper piecing, or FPP, uses a numbered paper foundation and is usually sewn by machine. English Paper Piecing, or EPP, uses paper shapes wrapped with fabric and is commonly joined by hand.

Are jelly rolls, layer cakes, and charm packs universal measurements?

Their common sizes are useful shopping shorthand, but the names are associated with particular retail and manufacturer systems. Check the actual package dimensions, piece count, and usable area before cutting.

Should I press quilt seams open or to one side?

Use the pattern’s instructions. Pressing to one side can support nesting seams, while pressing open can reduce bulk. Press by lifting and placing the iron rather than dragging it across the fabric.

The Bottom Line

The most important quilting vocabulary is the vocabulary that lets you read a pattern accurately: distinguish the quilt top, batting, and backing; understand cut, unfinished, and finished measurements; identify grain and WOF; recognize FQ, HST, FPP, EPP, RST, and SA; and follow the pattern’s own definitions when a term has multiple meanings. Quilting language is broad and regional, so treat branded precut names, abbreviations, and historical or cultural labels with the same care you would give the fabric itself.

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