Calico Calico is a pure cotton fabric. It is a distinctive fabric used in traditional quilts. Its distinct feature is its small repeated patterns. The pattern is usually flowered. Chain Piecing Chain piecing is the method of piecing together small quilt block units with the help of a sewing machine. Cheater's Panel /Cloth Cheater’s panels are pieces of fabric printed with quilt block designs. They are made to resemble a pieced or appliquéd quilt top. Cross Hatching Cross hatching is used to fill up spaces, blanks and backgrounds. Curved Piecing Curved piecing is a sewing method for transforming a convex edge of fabric to a concave seam of fabric. Cutting Mat A cutting mat is thick; has a durable surface and is lined with measurements. It is used in combination with an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter for cutting different layers of fabric in strips and squares. Most cutting mats have self-healing surfaces so that the leftover grooves from the rotary cutter blade can fill in later. Darning Foot A darning foot is a sewing machine foot that is used for free motion quilting. When the needle is moving out of the fabric, the darning foot will hold the fabric down. Directional Print “Directional print” describes fabric that has a particular print, like stripes. Double Fold French Binding This binding method will create a stronger binding on the edges of the quilt. A wide strip of fabric is taken and folded in half, wrong side out. A raw edge of the strip is sewn to a raw edge of the quilt. The corners are mitered and then the strip is folded down and the other edge is sewn to the remaining raw edge of the quilt. Dual Feed Foot A dual-feed foot is attached to the sewing machine. It replaces the straight stitch foot and helps in guiding the top and bottom fabrics of the quilt sandwich smoothly through the sewing machine. Dye Magnet The main purpose of a dye magnet is to collect loose dyes in the wash. A piece of untreated, bleached terry cotton is attached to a piece of cork, to keep it floating in the wash water. You can bleach and use it again after it gets discolored. You can use old white towels for this purpose. Fat Eighth Cut 1/4 yard of fabric in half at the middle fold and create a rectangle approximate 9" wide by 22" length. You will get 8 fat eighths in one yard of fabric. Fat eighths are commonly known as FE. Fat Quarter Cut 1/2 yard of fabric in half at the middle fold and create a rectangle approximate 18" wide by 22" length. You will get 4 fat quarters in one yard of fabric. They are commonly known as FQ. Feed Dogs Feed dogs are the mechanical teeth that pull the fabric through a sewing machine. They are kept under the presser foot area of a sewing machine. They pull the fabric through machine by moving. Either lower or cover the feed dogs in free motion quilting to avoid useless wear on the sewing machine. Feed sacks Feed sacks are bags that were used for holding flour, meal, etc, in the early 20th century. They were made into quilts then, and are still a popular material today. Filler Quilting Filler quilting is the method of filling in open spaces on the quilt. Filling Filling is another term for batting – the middle layer of the quilt. Finished Size The final sewn measurement of a finished block must be free from seam allowances. In order to get this, a 3" sewn measurement block must be cut 3.5" to get 1/4" seam allowances, which is the quilting standard. Fusible Fusible webbing or interfacing materials are used for supporting fabric and making appliqué easier. These materials are ironed onto the fabric to strengthen it. Fussy Cut Fussy Cut is widely used for making novelty prints for kid’s quilts and eye-spy quilts. It involves cutting fabric into pieces and then sewing them so that they form a figure on the quilt. Glazed Finish Also known as bonded finish, glazed finish is a thin resin finish. It can be applied to fabric or batting to prevent bearding or fraying. Grain Grains are the lengthwise and crosswise threads of a woven fabric. For best results, run the grains in one direction on all pieces of a quilt block, sashing and border. Lengthwise grain is parallel to the salvage and has the minimum amount of stretch. On the other hand crosswise grain is perpendicular to the salvage and has slightly more stretch. Griege Goods This fabric is straight from the loom – untreated, unprinted, undyed. Guild A guild is a quilting group. Guilds often make free quilts and give free education or programs to local communities. Quilting Terminology Quilting Terms C to G Quilting Glossary H to P Quilting Terms Q to Z Tools Types Machine Quilts Fabric Guide Caring More Quilting Tips Quilting Machine Benefits Quilt Sandwich Quilt Pattern Tips Large Quilt