Quilting comes in all different styles and depends on the traditions and history of the country of origin. Simply put, quilting is made up of a “sandwich” of fabrics, the top layer which is the pattern part and can be made up of quilt blocks, the middle which is called the batting (padding) and the back which is usually a complimentary colour to the top pattern.
I’ve put together a list of the commonly used terms in quilting in this quilting terms definitions article so you have a quick reference guide.
Quilting Terms Definitions
Accent quilts – This is a pattern that follows different lines but works with your patchwork pattern.
Achromatic – Black, white and grey color schemes.
Album quilts – These are quilts made for a specific event and made up of different blocks. These are personal to the recipient or maker of the quilt and are sometimes given as gifts to mark a special occasion.
If you’re a beginning quilter then one of the first terms you’ll hear is “quilt block.” So what is a quilt block? Traditionally, quilts were more often used to make bed covers and were sewn by hand. Because of the difficulty managing to sew a large quilt, smaller blocks were made. These smaller blocks of fabric could be made in a variety of patterns or a repeating pattern which were then sewn together to form the whole quilt.