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p, q, r

Paper piecing - Paper piecing is a technique used in piecing. Fabric is sewn to a paper pattern. When the block is completed, the paper is ripped away. This method is extremely accurate and easy. It is often a good method for beginners to learn.

Patchwork - Patchwork is a term that describes the piecing in the quilt top.

Pattern - Pattern has multiple meanings in the quilting world. It can represent the design printed or woven into the fabric. A single quilt block can be referred to as the quilt pattern. The way the blocks are laid out in a quilt form a pattern.

Piecing - Piecing the quilt refers to the sewing together of fabric pieces to form a quilt top.

Pillow tuck - Some quilts are made to cover a bed and the pillows. Extra yardage needs to be added for the pillow tuck. This usually amounts to 10".

Pins - Not all straight pins are created equal. When I go to the store and see packages of 'quilters' pins' I want to scream. Who decided these yellow headed pins were for quilting? These pins have large shafts therefore making it more difficult to puncture through many layers of fabric. This causes some distortion at the seam lines. I prefer glass head silk pins - 1 3/8 inches with a super fine .50mm shaft. These pins easily glide through layers of fabric and will cause less distortion. The best brand I have found are IBC #5003 from Clotilde.

When hand appliqueing, I use sequin pins. Because these are very small, your thread is less apt to get caught on the pins. I also use safety pins (pinned from the wrong side of the fabric) for appliqueing. Once again, this is to ensure that your thread does not get caught while sewing.

Pigma pen - A pigma pen is waterproof and fade proof. These recognized archival instruments are the best type of pens to use on fabric when collecting signatures or writing quilt labels. You can find these in art supply stores and at quilt and fabric shops.

Points - Do your points match? Most quilt blocks have points or corners in the design. When piecing a block it is easy to 'cut off' a point. Sometimes the corners of the shapes will fall short of the seam lines and not match up. Most of the time this will not interfere with the overall construction of the quilt. It will cause a great deal of distress to the perfectionists out there. The only way to remedy the situation is to rip out the stitches and try sewing again.

WARNING! Never explain matching points to family members as they will be quick to point out all your mistakes from that time forward.

Posts - The small areas between the sashings are called posts. They can be squares or rectangles.

Prairie points - Prairie points are three dimensional designs that can be added to your quilting. Often they are used in a border treatment. They are made by folding and pressing fabric and then sewing the finished points to your quilt.

Pressing - Pressing is almost as important as sewing if you want to get crisp accurate seam lines. After sewing two pieces together I go to the iron and press down on top of this stitching. This will help nestle the threads into the fabric. Sometimes this is referred to as registering the seam. With few exceptions, I usually do not open seams when I press. Instead I press both seams to one side of the fabric. This pressing is based on construction concerns not the old adage 'always press to the dark'.

Some patterns include pressing directions. Look for these patterns as it will make construction of your block easier.

Primary colors - The primary colors are red, blue and yellow.

Project Linus - A volunteer organization that provides quilts for children in need. If you would like more info please visit www.projectlinus.org.

Quarter square triangle - A quarter square triangle is a right angle triangle that has a straight of grain hypotenuse. It looks like a half square triangle (right angle triangle with two equal sides). The difference between the two is where the bias is placed. The bias on a quarter square triangle falls on the right angle sides of the triangle.

It is called a quarter square triangle because a square is cut on both of the diagonals to form four equal triangles. In this quick rotary cutting method, seam allowances are included on each triangle. No templates are used. The formula (listed below) works like a charm every time.

Measure the FINISHED SIZE of the HYPOTENUSE side of the triangle.

Add 1 ¼ inches to the FINISHED SIZE of the HYPOTENUSE side of the triangle.

Cut out a square measuring FINISHED SIZE of HYPOTENUSE side of the triangle plus 1 ¼ inches.

Cut the square on both diagonals.

Queen size - A queen size mattress top measures 60 inches by 80 inches .

Quilting - Technically, quilting refers to the process by which all three layers of the quilt sandwich are sewn together. Generally, quilting refers to any thing having to do with making a quilt, such as organizing the fabric and piecing the top.

Quilting frame - A quilting frame is not a frame used to hang quilts on the wall. It is used to sandwich the quilt together and to help with basting. Hand quilting can be done by one person or many when using a quilting frame. Often the frame is rectangle in shape and is made from wood. It is free standing.

Quilting lines - The quilting lines are drawn on the quilt top. These are the lines that are eventually quilted by hand or by machine. There are many traditional and contemporary patterns that available in stencils that can easily be transferred to your quilt top. (Or use your creativity to come up with an original design!)

Quilting needles - Needles used for hand quilting are referred to as 'betweens'. They are shorter than regular needles.

Quilting thread - Quilting thread is much heavier than regular thread. It is used for hand quilting NOT for the sewing machine. Often novice quilters buy quilting thread for machine piecing their quilt. This can be a costly mistake. Loaded onto a sewing machine's bobbin, the thread can destroy the inner workings of many machines.

Quilt top - The quilt top is the top of the quilt. Most of the time it is the side with the most piecing.

Reducing glass - A reducing glass looks like a magnifying glass but does the opposite. This glass reduces the item being viewed. It is a tool that quilters use when designing their quilts. Often if you stand back about 20 feet you will notice the effects of values and colors in your quilt that you weren't aware of at 10 feet. Since many of us may not be able to view our quilt top from 20 feet away, a reducing glass is used. You can also look through the wrong end of binoculars to pick out imperfections in the quilt design. (You may look silly looking through the wrong end of the binoculars but you won't be out the extra $15 that the reducing glass costs!)

Reproduction fabric - Reproduction fabric is fabric that has been - - - reproduced! Antique quilts have wonderful examples of fabric from the 1800's and early 1900's. Quite a few fiber companies have come out with large fabric lines based on fabrics in these antique quilts. Often these fabrics are available in different colorways.

Reverse applique - Instead of appliquéing a piece of fabric on top of a background fabric, in reverse appliqué the piece is put under the background fabric. The background fabric is cut away to reveal the piece under it.

Round robin - A round robin describes a quilt (or quilts) made through a group effort. A quilter in the group makes a block or a small quilt. The next member adds a border to this and then passes it on to the next member who adds another border and passes it to the next quilter and so on. Since the members are not following any specific pattern, the final quilt is always a surprise.

Rotary cutting - Rotary cutting is relatively new to the quilting world. It involves using a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler and a cutting mat. Using these tools, many layers of fabric can be quickly and accurately cut at once. Before quilters used scissors to cut out shapes.

Ruby beholder - Love the name! A ruby beholder is a tool that quilters use to find the value of a fabric. Fabrics of different colors and/or prints can be laid side by side and viewed through this instrument to see their relative values.

Ruching - Ruching is a technique used to draw up fabric or ribbon. It is then formed into a flower or other design and appliqueed to a background fabric.