“She cast around for the right words. That was the problem with words--they nail the thought down, made it explicit, fixed it, crucified it on the cross of exact meaning. But life has no exact meanings, only shades of meaning, hints, versions, and contradictions, a confusion of loves and hates, of motives and desires.”
Tightrope
Simon Mawer
Hello!
I hope you have had a brilliant week. I keep waiting for rain...maybe today! Last week we explored twelve common words I use when I am talking about making a t-shirt quilt or quilt. I have twelve more words that I think might be important to the process of making a quilt.
Quilt vs Blanket--Most quilters will get a little irritated at a quilt being called a blanket, but I really see “blanket” as the overall group and a quilt is a special kind of blanket. Quilts have three layers and blankets usually have one. I love the word “counterpane” for a quilt, but it is a bit archaic.
Piecing-the process of cutting and sewing the pieces of a quilt top together. Piecing is used most often in reference to the quilt top, but the back of a quilt often needs to be pieced as well.
Block-One unit of a quilt. For instance a 12T t-shirt quilt has 12 blocks in it.
Quilting-the act of stitching the three layers (front, batting, backing) together, and the actual stitches used to hold the three layers of the quilt together.
Applique-sewing one piece of fabric onto a larger piece of fabric. For instance when I sew a small logo onto another block of a t-shirt quilt.
This sweet little pumpkin block has a skirt appliqued to it!
Heatnbond-an iron on adhesive that helps in the process of some types of applique.
Miters or Mitered Corners-The corners of the quilt are created by sewing the fabric at a 45 degree angle, like a picture frame. (It’s magic!)
A great example of meander quilting and a mitered corner!
Meander or Stipple-the most common type of quilting I use for a t-shirt quilt. It looks like loose puzzle pieces.
Longarm-the large sewing machine that I use to quilt quilts. My long arm has a 10” frame.
Me quilting with my APQS Lenni longarm!
Hand-guided Quilting-the quilter drives the machine as it sews. All of my quilting is hand-guided. I do not have a computer attached to my longarm machine.
Free-motion Quilting-A pattern is not being followed and the quilter is in full control of the machine.
Domestic Machine-a regular sewing machine used at home.
Hopefully last week’s blog and this blog help with the general vocabulary of quilting! Let me know if you can think of other words I should define!
Sending Quilting Love,
Ginger
Coming Next Week: How much time does it take to make a quilt?
I am Reading: I am still reading Wicked by Gregory McGuire and Tightrope by Simon Mawer, and I am working my way through Let Your Creativity Work for You by Heather Allen. I am still reading bits of poetry, and I have stacks of things to read, which always makes me happy!