PATCHWORK + QUILTING GLOSSARY

Here are a few terms commonly found in patchwork and quilting patterns:

applique   superimposing shapes onto a background fabric by hand or machine sewing or by fusing.

backing    the reverse side of the quilt, generally less complicated than the quilt top.  Before quilting, the backing is cut 2-4 inches larger than the quilt top on all sides. 

baste       to loosely sew together layers of fabric with large, temporary stitches  

batting    cotton, wool, or synthetic fiber in rolls or sheets and used for lining quilts.

binding    a border applied to the quilt after quilting to hide the raw edges of batting and fabric; the last step in constructing a quilt. 

hem clip   tool used to hold raw edges in place as the binding is applied

piecing    sewing individual patchwork "pieces" to each other 

pressing   using a dry iron, ironing along the seams without stretching the fabric

quilt top   the side of a quilt designated as front; usually more complicated or embellished than the back

rotary cutter   tool used for precision cutting fabric with a very sharp circular blade (it looks like a pizza cutter)

sashing    a border surrounding quilt blocks; like glass in a window is framed