| Word | Description |
| Background fabric | This is fabric in your quilt that you want to kind of fade into the background and not “jump out.” This can be a foundation fabric in a quilt with appliqué or it can be fabric surrounding patches in blocks. One example of a background fabric in a block would be a fabric that surrounds a star. |
| Backing | The layer of fabric on the back of a quilt. It can be one piece of fabric, several fabrics sewn together, or made from left over blocks. As shown on the left, backing is laid right side down as you are layering the quilt. The batting will be placed on top of the backing and then the quilt top will be placed right side facing up on top of the batting. |
| Backstitch | This is when you sew over stitches to secure them. On a sewing machine, you might backstitch a length of up to ½ inch. If you are hand stitching, you would backstitch one or two stitches. This is also a hand embroidery stitch. If you are machine piecing generally it is not necessary to backstitch. |
| Bargello | This is a particular type of quilt that is identified by peaks and valleys that are created by the color pattern of the fabric squares pieced together. The quilt top is created by sewing strips of fabric together, then cutting them perpendicular to the strips. Each of these strips is then offset from the previous strip and sewn together. |
| Basting | The long (3”- 4”) stitches that secure appliqué pieces or quilt layers while you do final stitching (either attaching appliqué or quilting a quilt). Basting can also be done using safety pins, plastic “micro tags” (like the plastic tags that stores use to hang price tags), basting glue or spray. Basting is removed once the final stitching is complete. |
| Batting | The layer between the quilt top and the backing. Batting is made from many different types of material – polyester, cotton, wool, silk – and can be manufactured as batting, or can be as simple as a piece of flannel or wool between the quilt layers. |
| Bearding | When fibers of batting come through the quilt top or backing. This can happen no matter how careful you are not to poke holes in your quilt. It can be caused by the batting itself. Some batting is “needle punched” or bonded to prevent bearding. Polyester and wool batting tend to beard, while cotton batting does not. |
| Betweens | Small needles that are designed for quilting, appliqué and sewing binding on a quilt. Because they are short and thin, they make it easier to sew short stitches, and prevent large holes from being made in your quilt’s fabric. |
| Bias | A diagonal line between the straight grain and cross grain of a piece of fabric. The line can be at most any angle – it is not limited to a 45º or 60º angle. When fabric is cut on the bias, it stretches more than fabric that has been cut on the straight grain or cross grain. This can be either an advantage or disadvantage. Bias strips make great curves and are stronger used as binding; however, when used in patches, if you’re not careful, the stretching can cause misshapen blocks. |
| Binding | The finishing strip of fabric on a quilt that covers the raw edges and attaches the quilt top to the backing. |
| Blind Stitch | A stitch that is frequently used for attaching appliqué pieces or binding. The stitches are sewn so they are hidden under the top layer of fabric. |
| Block | The basic unit of a quilt top. Typically blocks are square, can be made any size, and may repeat themselves in a quilt. They can be pieced from patches, could be appliqué, or possibly even solid pieces of fabric. |
| Bobbin | The thread unit in a sewing machine that is under the fabric as you are stitching. |
| Borders | The outside pieces (strips) on a quilt that "frame the picture." The heart quilt on the left has one yellow border – a solid piece of fabric. |
| Butted corners | When border or binding corners meet at a 90º angle instead of making a mitered corner. |