You've committed to your first quilt — congratulations! The quilting world has its own unique vocabulary and plenty of abbreviations that can feel overwhelming at first. Have you looked at a pattern and been stumped by terms like Jelly Roll Friendly or HST? You're not alone. We'll break it all down and explain the basics so you're set up for success.
Let's start with fabric.
Many manufacturers have their own names for pre-cuts, but most patterns use either generic terms or the widely accepted industry names. Here's what you need to know:
Fat Quarter — A fat quarter is one-quarter of a yard of fabric. Rather than a narrow 9" strip cut straight off the bolt, a fat quarter is made by unfolding a full yard and cutting it into quarters, giving you a more workable piece that measures approximately 18" × 22". Fat quarters can be purchased individually, as part of a manufacturer's bundle featuring all the fabrics in a collection, or as a curated bundle selected by the shop.
Fat Eighth — As the name suggests, a fat eighth is one-eighth of a yard — or half a fat quarter — measuring approximately 11" × 18".
Jelly Roll — A jelly roll is a 2½" strip cut across the full width of fabric. They're typically sold by the manufacturer in a rolled bundle of 40–42 strips, featuring every fabric in a collection. The name comes from the way they're rolled up, which gives them their distinctive look. You may also see these called Fabric Wonders, Rolie Polies, Roll Ups, or Strip Sets.
Layer Cake — A layer cake contains all the fabrics in a collection cut into 10" squares, usually 42 pieces. Depending on the size of the collection, you may get one or more repeats of each print. These are also known as 10" Stackers, 10" Squares, 10×10 Squares, Patty Cakes, Stacks, or Tens.
Charm Pack — Think of charm packs as the little sister to the layer cake. Charm squares measure 5" and are also referred to as 5" Stackers, Single Scoops, Chips, or Stamps.
Mini Charms — The baby of the group, mini charms measure just 2½" square. You may also hear them called Candy or Petit Fours.
Honey Buns & Desert Rolls — Both are packaged like jelly rolls. Honey Buns measure 1½" × width of fabric and are often sold in solid colors, making them popular for sashing. They may also be called Skinny Strips or simply 1½" Strips. Desert Rolls (also called Design Strips) measure 5" × width of fabric.
Other fabric terms you'll want to know:
Hero Print — The hero print is the star of the show — the fabric you want as the main focus of your project, or the standout print in a collection that all the other fabrics are designed to complement.
Blender — A blender is typically a tone-on-tone fabric that adds subtle movement and depth to a color palette without competing with the focal prints.
Low Volume — Low volume fabrics have a white, off-white, or cream background with a small, understated print. From a distance they read as white or near-white, but up close the delicate print adds visual interest and texture.
Common Quilting Abbreviations
You've chosen a beginner-friendly pattern and gathered the pre-cut fabric and yardage it calls for. Now what? The pattern is asking you to make an HST — and it will likely walk you through the construction. But let's work through all those common abbreviations so nothing catches you off guard.
HST — Half Square Triangle
A square made up of two triangles sewn together along the diagonal. There are many methods for making HSTs, with the most common techniques yielding 2, 4, or 8 at a time. HSTs are a foundational block that appears in countless quilt patterns.
QST — Quarter Square Triangle
A QST can be made using two HSTs positioned with the triangles pointing in opposite directions. Sew across both diagonals, then cut to reveal an hourglass shape. For a scrappy look, try using two HSTs made from different prints or colors — the results are always fun and unexpected.
WOF — Width of Fabric
WOF refers to the full width of the fabric, measured from selvage edge to selvage edge. Most quilting cottons measure 42–44 inches wide. When you purchase yardage off the bolt, the fabric is folded in half lengthwise — so the folded width is your WOF, and the cut length is your yardage.
RST — Right Sides Together
The most common way to join fabric pieces when sewing. Placing right sides together means the "pretty" sides of the fabric face each other while you stitch, so the seam is hidden when the piece is turned out. Occasionally a pattern will specify otherwise, so always check.
WST — Wrong Sides Together
As you might guess, this is the opposite — sewing with the wrong (back) sides of the fabric facing each other. It may seem counterintuitive, but WST is commonly used in bag making when attaching a binding strip to an edge, or when a pattern calls for a French seam.
Piecing Technique Terms
You've bought the fabric and read your pattern — but maybe you've come across a term or technique that made you think, what in the world? Here's a list of essential piecing terms to keep you moving forward. My personal favorite? Flying Geese. Let's dive in.
Chain Piecing — A time-saving technique where you sew all the same pieces in a sequence without cutting the thread in between. Just keep feeding the next pieces through the machine and you'll end up with a "chain" of sewn units that you can then snip apart and press. Think of it as assembly-line piecing — efficient and satisfying.
Fussy Cutting — A fun and intentional technique that involves strategically cutting a specific design or motif from your fabric so that it appears centered and highlighted within a block for maximum visual impact. Perfect for showcasing a standout print.
Flying Geese — A rectangular unit with a triangle added to each short end, finishing at twice the width as it is tall. When multiple units are lined up, they resemble a flock of flying geese — hence the name! Flying Geese are also commonly used to form the points in a wide variety of star blocks. Like HSTs, there are several techniques for making multiples at once.
Strip Piecing — A method that involves sewing long strips of fabric together — think jelly roll strips — and then sub-cutting them into smaller segments to form parts of a quilt block. This is the secret behind those checkerboard blocks that look impressively complex but are actually quite straightforward to construct.
Finishing Terms: From Quilt Top to Binding
You've pieced your blocks, pressed your seams, and survived every abbreviation thrown your way — now it's time to bring it all together. Here's what you need to know to cross the finish line.
Quilt Top — This one is exactly what it sounds like: the beautiful pieced top you've just finished constructing. Take a moment to be proud of what you've made. That's no small thing.
Batting — The middle layer of your quilt, batting comes in a variety of fiber types and weights — cotton, wool, polyester, and blends — each offering different levels of warmth, drape, and "loft" (that lovely puffiness you see between the quilting lines).
Backing — The back of your quilt, typically a single print or solid chosen to complement your quilt top fabrics. Because most quilts are wider than a standard fabric width, the backing usually requires piecing two lengths of fabric together to achieve the necessary width.
Quilt Sandwich & Basting — Yes, quilting has its own cooking vocabulary! The quilt sandwich is formed by layering your backing (right side down), batting, and quilt top (right side up) — WST for the backing, as you now know. You'll want to cut your backing and batting a few inches larger on all sides to account for any shifting that occurs during quilting. Once your layers are stacked, you'll baste them together to hold everything in place. Basting is temporary and can be done with pins, thread, or spray adhesive. If you're sending your quilt to a longarm quilter to finish, be sure to check their specific requirements for backing and batting overage before you prep your sandwich.
And just like that — you're a quilter.
Whether you dove straight into a full lap quilt or started small with a table runner or mini, you've done something creative and courageous. Every new skill you've picked up along the way — the abbreviations, the techniques, the fabric vocabulary — is yours to keep and build on. The quilting community is warm, generous, and always happy to welcome a new maker. Now go finish that quilt. We can't wait to see it. 🧵
