Getting Started in Quilting

Every quilt, traditional or contemporary, shares the same basic structure: a pieced or whole-cloth top, a layer of batting for warmth and loft, and a backing fabric, all stitched together ("quilted") through all three layers.

The three layers

1. The quilt top — the decorative front layer, either pieced together from many smaller fabric pieces or made from a single ("whole-cloth") piece of fabric.
2. Batting — the middle layer, providing loft and warmth; common materials include cotton, wool, polyester, and blends.
3. Backing — the fabric on the underside of the finished quilt.

Common piecing patterns

Traditional patchwork uses geometric blocks — the log cabin, nine-patch, and flying geese are among the most well-known — repeated and arranged into a larger design. Many quilters work from an existing pattern when starting out before designing their own.

Traditional quilting vs. art quilting

Traditional quilting is generally oriented toward function (bed quilts, baby quilts) and often follows established block patterns. Studio art quilting treats the quilt as a fine-art medium in its own right — designed as a wall piece rather than a functional textile, and often incorporating non-traditional materials, improvisational piecing, or mixed-media elements.