Quilting Vocabulary Quiz
12 multiple-choice questions on quilting vocabulary: batting, backing, binding, fat quarter, half-square triangle, log cabin, piecing, sashing, stippling, rotary cutter, seam allowance and selvage. A2 level.
This quiz focuses on how the target vocabulary for Quilting is actually used in context at A2 level, rather than testing bare definitions. Correct answers you will need to identify include terms such as batting, backing, binding, fat quarter and half-square triangle, each embedded in a full example sentence so you have to judge meaning from context, not just recognise an isolated word.
Working through all 12 questions and checking the explanations in the FAQ below is a quick way to spot any terms you are still unsure of. Revisiting the quiz again after a day or two, rather than only once, is one of the most reliable ways to move new vocabulary from passive recognition into words you can use confidently yourself in speaking and writing.
Quilting Vocabulary — FAQ
What are the three layers of a quilt?
A quilt is made of three layers, often called the 'quilt sandwich'. The top layer is the decorative pieced quilt top; the middle layer is the batting, a soft, fluffy material that provides warmth and thickness; and the bottom layer is the backing, a piece of fabric that covers the underside. These three layers are held together by quilting stitches and finished at the edges with binding.
What is the difference between batting and backing?
Batting and backing are two different layers of a quilt. The batting is the hidden middle layer — a soft, padded material made of cotton, polyester, or wool — that gives the quilt its warmth and loft. The backing is the bottom layer of fabric that you see on the underside of the quilt; it covers the batting and the backs of the seams. In short, batting is the padding inside, while backing is the fabric underneath.
What is a fat quarter and why is it popular?
A fat quarter is a quarter-yard of fabric cut as a wide, roughly square piece (about 18 by 22 inches) instead of a long, thin strip the full width of the bolt. This squarer shape is popular with quilters because it allows more flexibility when cutting different shapes and sizes of pieces from the same fabric. Fat quarters are also sold in coordinated bundles, making them an easy and affordable way to collect a range of matching prints.
What is a half-square triangle and how is it used?
A half-square triangle, often shortened to HST, is a square unit made from two right-angled triangles of different fabrics joined along the diagonal. It is one of the most versatile building blocks in patchwork: by rotating and arranging many half-square triangles, quilters can create pinwheels, stars, chevrons, and countless other patterns. Quilters often make them in pairs or batches from squares of fabric to save time.
What is the difference between piecing and quilting?
Piecing and quilting are two distinct stages of making a quilt. Piecing is sewing the small fabric pieces together to build the blocks and assemble the quilt top — it creates the flat, decorative pattern. Quilting is the later step of stitching through all three layers (top, batting, and backing) to hold them together and add texture, using techniques such as stippling or stitching in the ditch. You piece first, then quilt the layered sandwich.
What is sashing and what does it do?
Sashing is the strips of fabric sewn between the blocks of a quilt top to separate and frame them. It serves several purposes: it gives each block its own space so busy patterns do not blur together, it can make a quilt top larger without adding more blocks, and it adds a tidy, organised look. Sashing strips are sometimes joined with small squares called cornerstones where they intersect, adding further visual interest.
What is stippling in machine quilting?
Stippling is a free-motion quilting technique that produces a dense pattern of small, smooth, meandering lines that wander across the fabric without crossing over themselves. It is used to add overall texture and to firmly hold the quilt layers together, and it is especially popular for filling in background areas so that other design elements stand out. Because the lines are close together, stippling gives a soft, slightly puckered, quilted look.
Why is the quarter-inch seam allowance so important in quilting?
The seam allowance is the strip of fabric between the line of stitching and the raw cut edge, and in quilting the standard is exactly one quarter of an inch. This precise measurement is important because quilt blocks are made of many small pieces, and even tiny errors add up across a whole block or quilt. A consistent quarter-inch seam ensures that finished blocks come out the intended size, points meet neatly, and the overall pattern lines up correctly when blocks are joined.
What is the selvage and should you use it in a quilt?
The selvage is the tightly woven, finished edge that runs along both long sides of a length of fabric to stop it from fraying; it often carries printed information such as the manufacturer's name and colour dots. In most quilting, the selvage is trimmed away before cutting pieces, because it is denser than the rest of the fabric, can shrink differently, and may pull or pucker in a seam. Some quilters do save selvages for special decorative projects, but they are generally not used in standard piecing.
What quilting vocabulary should ESL learners know?
ESL learners interested in sewing or quilting should prioritise: batting, backing, binding, fat quarter, half-square triangle, log cabin, piecing, sashing, stippling, rotary cutter, seam allowance, and selvage. These terms appear constantly in pattern instructions, fabric shop labels, online tutorials, and quilting classes, so knowing them makes it much easier to follow projects and join craft communities in English.