Guest Author - Marcia Gibson

Terms Used in Quilting:

Now that we have started our quilts, I thought it might be helpful to give you the meaning of some terms that are used quite often during the process:

Selvage edge: This is the edge of the fabric that is woven very tightly, sometimes called the duped edge. It is easier if you tear this off by making a small clip, at the end of the fabric, with your scissors and tearing it from the edge. This will keep your pieces from puckering when washed.

Finish: All fabrics have a finish on them. It is somewhat like a sizing that keeps the fabric crisp and neat when on the bolt. This is why some quilters like to pre-wash the fabric. I like to leave it on because it makes it easier to cut and sew with accuracy.

Grain: I know all of you have heard this term used with wood, but fabric has a grain to it too. When I first started sewing in high school we had to tear our fabrics to make sure they were straight. When we tore it, it went with the grain (or the weave) of the fabric. However, with the use of the rotary cutters I don’t do this any more and I still get straight even pieces. The only exception to this is if you have a piece of fabric that has a straight line or squares woven into it, you won’t get them exactly straight no matter if you tear or cut, but tearing will be more precise.

Templates: Actually this is a pattern piece. It is best to use some type of heavier paper or plastic when cutting these out. Most pattern books will tell you what to use. Make sure you mark on them with a permanent marker. Mark as much information down as possible. I usually mark the pattern name, the piece number and the book it came from. I also mark all seam lines if they are included and if they aren’t then I mark “add ¼” seam allowance” on the pattern piece.

Strip piecing: Strip piecing is exactly what it says; you are joining strips together to make a wider piece of fabric to use in your top.

Chain piecing: Chain piecing is done by sewing several like piece sets and not cutting the threads between each set. You will cut them when you have all the sets sewn together.

Pressing: Pressing your seams is very important. Use a steam iron to set seams on sewn pieces. Always press the light color fabrics towards the darker fabrics.

Stacking: When using a rotary cutter it will give you the ability to cut several layers on top of each other. This is called stacking. I use this method when I am using scrap materials. This way I can cut several fabrics at once.

Squaring: After you get your pieces sewn together to make a block, you will need to “square” the block up. You will need to measure several blocks to get an average size. Then cut all blocks to this measurement.
Sashing: You can add strips of fabric between your rows of blocks, this is called sashing. It is usually done on simple blocks or blocks that have a chain block in them. It allows a more complete look to your quilt top.

Batting: This is the fluffy stuff that goes inside your quilt. It comes in different types, such as polyester or cotton. It comes in different sizes and thicknesses. This decision is left to you. I prefer the cotton on hand pieced quilts and poly on machine sewn quilts.

Backing: This is the fabric used on the back of your quilt. You can buy it in different widths. If you want it all one piece make sure you measure your quilt top and add 8” to ensure it will be wide enough for quilting. Also add 8” for length.

Betweens: Betweens are hand sewing needles used for the quilting process by hand. They are very small to ensure small quilting stitches. Buy one as small as possible so that you can practice.

I think for now this is enough to ponder. If you have a specific question that I have not answered please feel free to e-mail me at any time.