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Applique
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Technique in which pieces of fabric are fused and/or sewn to a background fabric to create designs. A tight zig zag stitch or blanket stitch are common methods to finish the edges. They can be sewn by hand or machine.
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A-Line
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A dress or skirt that is in the shape of the letter "A". Narrow at top and then flares out towards the hem.
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Backing
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A layer of fabric on the back of a quilt.
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Backstitch
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A reinforced stitch to help keep the end from unraveling. A few stitches sewn in reverse at the beginning and end of a stitch. A backstitch is also a style of an embroidery stitch
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Basting
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A method of securing layers of fabrics or to start ruffles. Safety Pins are typically used to secure a quilt top, batting and backing before quilting. Basting adhesives are great for holding an applique in place until sewn on. An even wide stitch, which is also known as a gathering stitch, is used to create a ruffle.
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Batting
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A layer of cotton generally used between a quilt top and backing.
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Betweens
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Short needles with a narrow shaft used for hand sewing.
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Bias
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Diagonal grain of fabric. Bias Binding / Tape is a narrow strip of fabric cut at a 45-degree angle on the fabric's bias grain.
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Binding
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A folded fabric strip used to cover the raw edges of a quilt or other projects.
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Block
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The main element of a quilt, usually square and repeated throughout the quilt top.
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Blocking
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A technique used with knit or crochet garments to maintain the shape of the garment.
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Bodice
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The top part of a garment that is above the waist.
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Borders
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Strips of fabrics used to frame the center of a quilt.
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Charm Pack
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A collection of approximately 40-42 5" squares from a single range of fabric.
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Charm Square
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A 5" square of fabric.
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Color Wheel
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Tool defining the characteristics of primary, secondary and tertiary colors.
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Continuous-line Quilting
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Stitching a quilt design from beginning to end without stopping.
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Corner Square
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A block added to the end of a border strip on a quilt.
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Crewel Needle
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A type of handsewing needle also referred to as an embroidery needle. They are medium in length with a long, oval eye for threading embroidery floss and yarn with a sharp point.
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Diagonal Set
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Quilt top where blocks are set on point in diagonal rows.
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Double-fold Binding
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Fabric strip folded in half before being sewn to the quilt edge. Also known as French-fold Binding.
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Echo Quilting
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Following the outline of a motif with multiple stitching lines expanded at regular intervals.
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Embroidery Needle
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A type of handsewing needle also referred to as a crewel needle. They are medium in length with a long, oval eye for threading embroidery floss and yarn with a sharp point.
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Fat Eighth
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A 9" x 22" piece of fabric.
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Fat Quarter
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An 18" x 22" piece of fabric.
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Felting
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A method of matting together wool fibers.
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French-fold Binding
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Fabric strip folded in half before being sewn to the quilt edge. Also known as Double-fold Binding.
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Fusible Webbing
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A double sided adhesive activated by the heat of an iron to fuse two pieces of fabric together. Often used to aid in applique', quilting, and sewing.
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Fussy Cut
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To cut a specific motif that's printed on the fabric, rather than randomly cutting yardage as normal. Used to center a specific print withing individual patches or alternate blocks of a quilt. May also cut directly on lines printed on the fabric when motifs do not follow the fabric grain.
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Grosgrain
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A type of ribbon with ribs that run crosswise down the ribbon.
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Half-rectangle
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A rectangle cut in half diagonally to create two half-rectangles.
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Half-square triangle
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A square cut in half diagonally to create two half-square triangles.
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Hand Applique'
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Sewing fabric motifs onto a fabric background by hand.
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Hand Piecing
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Stitching seams of blocks and quilt tops by hand.
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Hand Quilting
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Hand sewing a series of running stitches through layers of fabric and batting.
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Hanging Sleeve
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A piece of fabric attached to the back of a quilt, so the quilt can be displayed easily on a rod.
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Hem
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The finished bottom edge of a garment.
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Interfacing
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A material used between fabrics to add stability and strength to a garment or bag. It can be ironed on or sewn and comes in different weights.
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Jelly Roll
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40 2-1/2" wide strips of fabric from a single collection of fabric.
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Layer Cake
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42 10" squares of fabric from a single collection of fabric.
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Loft
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The thickness of batting.
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Machine Applique'
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Sewing fabric motifs onto a fabric background with a sewing machine.
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Machine Quilting
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Sewing a series of stitches through layers of fabric and batting with a sewing machine.
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Marking Tools
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Pens, pencils and chalks used to mark fabric as a sewing guideline.
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Meandering
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A quilt stitch used to cover a quilt surface; also referred to as stippling.
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Mitering
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Sewing a 45-degree angle to join borders or binding at corners.
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Notion
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A supply needed for sewing such as needles, thread, buttons, etc.
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Outline Quilting
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A series of stitches 1/4" from the seam line that outlines the block motif.
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Piecing
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Process of sewing fabric pieces together to create a block or quilt top.
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Pleat
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A fold in fabric made by doubling the material over on itself and then pressing or stitching it into place.
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Press
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Using an iron in an up and down motion on fabric or seams.
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Primary Colors
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The three main colors on the color wheel - red, yellow and blue.
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Quarter-square Triangles
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A square cut diagonally twice to create quarter-square triangles.
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Quilt Sandwich
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The layers of backing, batting and quilt top.
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Quilting Ruler
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A clear plastic ruler, designed to be used with a rotary cutter and cutting mat. Gridlines on the rulers help make cutting the fabric easier and more precise.
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Rotary Cutter
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Tool with a circular blade that can cut through several layers of fabric at once.
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Ruffle
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A piece of fabric that has been gathered with a basting or gathering stitch to create a ruffle. A ruffle can also be made by using a ruffle foot on a sewing machine
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Running Stitch
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Series of hand sewing stitches used for piecing.
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Sashing
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Strips of fabric used to separate blocks in a quilt top.
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Satin Stitch
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A stitch created with a tight zig-zag stitch on a sewing machine and generally used for applique' projects.
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Scale
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The size of the pattern on a fabric.
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Seam
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A line of stitching that joins two fabrics together.
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Seam Allowance
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The fabric between the raw edge and the seam, usually 1/4" for quilting and 1/2" for clothing, accessories, and window treatments.
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Seam Ripper
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A tool used to cut and pull threads out of a seam.
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Secondary Color
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A color that is created by combining two primary colors.
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Selvedge
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The finished edge of a fabric that identifies the fabric name, designer, and color swatches for each individual fabric.
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Setting Triangles
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Triangles used to fill in a space when blocks are set on point in a diagonal set quilt top.
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Sharps
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Needles with a narrow shaft and small eye used for hand piecing and applique'.
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Stabilizers
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Product used as a foundation when appliqueing shapes to fabric.
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Stippling
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Refer to Meandering.
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Stitching-in-the-ditch
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A series of stitches sewn very close to the seams in a block, sashing and borders.
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Straight-set
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A quilt top with blocks assembled in straight horizontal rows.
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Templates
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A pattern made from plastic to cut shapes for applique'.
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Tertiary color
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A primary and secondary color mixed in equal measures.
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Topstitching
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A decorative or straight stitch used to finish the outside of a garment or other sewing project. Generally, a topstitch is about 1/8" running parallel to the edge or seam.
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Whipstitch
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A stitch used for finishing an edge or attaching two pieces of fabric.
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Zigzag Stitch
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A stitch feature on a sewing machine that creates a satin stitch for applique projects and is used to finish off the raw edge on garments. |
