Terminology

[kjh9835]

Gonna have to learn sooner or later might as well ask now. I see fabric terms here and there that I don't recognize, is there a good list somewhere that I can refer to? I did a search but I knew most of the basic terms like basting, blocks, binding, backing, batting, fat quarters, etc.

I figured out jelly rolls are strips of fabric rolled up. Are they misc. prints/solids or do they coordinate with each other? Are they the same configuration/size company to company? What about charms or other bundles of fabrics that you buy all at once?

I pre-wash 95% of everything I sew, if the strips are already cut, isn't that a mess to pre-wash? How do you know once stitched together and then washed that they won't shrink in odd directions and ruin the finished quilt?

Kathy

[HeyJudee]

Here's some definitions...(link at top of page have Definitions from A-G and H-Z)
http://quiltbug.com/articles/quilting-terms.htm

Usually jelly rolls are approx. 40 strips of coordinating fabrics but different manufacturers may have more or less. Sometimes they are fabrics of an entire line of fabric. I think Moda started these. Usually people who use jelly rolls don't prewash. The theory is that they have good quality fabrics and these fabrics won't run, etc. But they will shrink and when washed the quilts will look "old" which is what some quilters like. Personally I don't and prefer to prewash, so I've never used jelly rolls. I've had a couple of charm packs (5" squares) and had trouble working with them cause I only wanted to use unwashed fabrics in the entire quilt...and had to find fabric that I hadn't washed...which wasn't easy for me.

[bridesmom]

I find with the jelly rolls, charm packs and layer cake packages have pinked edges and I don't like trying to sew with pinked edges, unless of course I'm doing a rag blanket and then it makes a nice edge with the pinked frayed edges. They are nice if you have trouble putting fabric colors, patterns together though, as they are all coordinated. Some may be enough for a small quilt or baby quilt. I did use one full layer cake package that was enough for a large on the couch kind of quilt.

[kjh9835]

Finally got a chance to check the link, thank you. Very useful site not only for terms but other info as well. It's on my desktop which I have to organize tomorrow, it's too "cluttered" with sewing stuff so I need to make some folders and move stuff around.

Kathy

[bridesmom]

I find my computer desktop is like any other desktop I have, stuff everywhere, and everytime I organize it only takes a few minutes, and it's totally a mess again. Like somebodys signature says, I'm not messy, just creative.

[HeyJudee]

I rarely put things on my desktop. Save links to things in my favourites...creating folders by categories. And I have a folder for patterns I download and have sub folders for everything either by categories or specific designers or just something specific I may access a lot. Guess this is due to working in technology...we had lots of shared drives and folders where things were stored. I was one of the ones who always organized the stuff...

[bridesmom]

Well, I have a system, but I'm probably the only one who can figure it out! DH is useless, he's super organized but the computer leaves him totally frustrated. Every few months I do go through and tidy up stuff on my computer, but then I find half of it is on the laptop and half on the main desk computer, so then I have to move stuff and I get bored. I'm sure I have duplicates of all sorts of stuff.