Definitions

Appliqué	Appliqué is the process of layering fabric on top of other fabric and securing it by stitching, such as the star in the example. We offer appliqué as an additional level of customization. For instance, you can have a High School Letter appliquéd in for a sports-themed quilt. The options are endless, but appliqué is labor intensive and adds to the final cost.
Batting	Batting is the product used in the middle layer of the quilt between the top and the back. By default, we use 100% cotton, low-loft batting for all of our quilts. If you prefer a fluffy blanket or comforter style quilt, we can use a higher loft. High loft batting is typically synthetic or a synthetic blend. Also, high loft batting looks better with less quilting which can lead to stability problems for quilts with large T-shirt blocks.
Block	A block is one unit of design that makes up the repeated pattern as in the photo above.
Binding	The binding is the last fabric to be put on the quilt. It attaches the front to the back of the quilt, and should complement all of the fabric in the quilt. It is usually double thick to add strength to the edge of the quilt.
Border	A border is fabric which outlines your main area on a quilt. One or more borders can run around the outside of the quilt top. Since many quilts are very long and wide, borders are typically created from pieces. Single piece borders are an option, but only work well with some fabrics and can be expensive on larger quilts.
Inner Border	We like to include an inner border on our quilts. It gives a nicer look and can be used to provide additional contrast. Typically, the inner border uses the same material as the sashing. However, when the sashing and outer border use the same material, we omit the inner border. Again, we think this just looks better.
Cornerstones	Cornerstones are commonly used to break-up long strips of sashing. They provide a clean look to intersections. Cornerstones can be made from the same material, or can use a contrasting material (as in the first picture above) for a bolder look. We commonly use them as we see appropriate and almost always match the sashing material. However, you can always specify what you would like.
Embroidery	Art from stitches and patterns of stitches. Embroidery can be extremely elaborate. Blending thousands of stitches in multiple thread colors. However, most requests are simple, like adding a name to the quilt top.
Mitered Corner	Mitered corners provide a clean finished edge to the binding corners. They are sewn with a 45-degree angle similar to a picture frame.
Quilt Back	This is the fabric used on the back side of the quilt.
Quilt Top	When the blocks and borders are pieced (sewn together), this makes the quilt top.
Quilting	Once the top is pieced, and is layered with the batting and the back, all three layers can either be tied, or quilted. Quilting can be done by hand or by machine. We offer only machine quilting. Depending on the design, the quilting can be done in a number of ways. We most commonly use stippling (free-form meandering) or Stitch in the Ditch, a method to hide the thread in the sashing and borders. We sometimes use a hybrid of this to hide stitching in the design for larger blocks. Stitching can blend with the fabric, as pictured, or can provide contrast. Many options are available but detailed quilting is time-consuming and can add to the price of a quilt.
Sashing	Sashing is plain or pieced strips of fabric that are used between quilt blocks. Many T-shirt quilts are constructed by sewing all of the T-shirts together and then creating a border around them. We prefer to use sashing between the T-shirts for a more distinctive look. See our Products page for an example.
Sleeve	A sleeve is a pocket at the top of the backing to allow hanging the quilt on a decorative rod. We add a sleeve to all wall hanging size quilts unless you request us not to.
Tied Quilts	This is when the three layers (top, batting, and back) are tied together instead of quilted together. Traditionally, this was done with yarn or hand sewn with thread. Today, it is typically machine sewed. This method works well with high loft (thick and fluffy) batting to create a softer comforter style blanket. However, it is difficult to do with larger T-shirt blocks that require reinforcement from quilting to retain their shape. We only recommend tied quilts when a high loft batting is used. It also only works best for quilts with smaller blocks.
Thread	We use cotton thread for quilts and rayon for embroidery. Threads come in a variety of colors and should be matched to blend or contrast with the selected fabric colors and patterns.
Tricot	Tricot is a fabric used to stabilize the T-shirt panels of the quilt. It is fused to the back of the T-shirt by ironing. Tricot interfacing prevents the T-shirts from stretching or sagging during quilt construction.