I wanted to write a guide not as an expert but as a knowledgable antique quilt collector, student appraiser and seller about the lingo that is used in the quilting world.  Like all collectors and collections there is a specific language to each area of interest.  I am going to alphabetically give you some of the frequently used terms, expressions and lingo with definitions.  I do hope that you find this useful in your pursuit of purchasing that ideal antique quilt. 

This list in not inclusive,conclusive or exclusive.  It will be a continuous work in progress as the American Quilting Language is vast and consists of crossing cultures, mountains, rivers,streams, prairies, religion, class and incomes.  One thing that is constant, it is the only uniquely American "Female" Antique.

Allover Set-a one patch pattern is used for the entire quilt

Aniline- a dye made from coal tar

Autograph quilt-each block signed by a friend, poem sometime referred to as "Friendship quilt"

Bridal quilt- it is an 18th-19th Century term for the 13th quilt an engaged girl would start for her wedding night or bridal bed.  She would have 12 other completed quilts with her, started as a child, when she started her marriage.  Usually in wealthy, or tight knit communities.

Broderie Perse- it is the cutting out of large scale prints and appliqueing them to a whole cloth quilt

Butterscotch- a 19th century fabric color of golden chrome yellow printed over and over again to give the look of a solid yellow from a distance

By the Piece- usually seen in an 1920's and after quilt where the quilting stitches are 1/4 from and follow the seam line

Challis-a very expensive ( not wasted) soft wool that was left unglazed

Charm Quilt-a patchwork quilt where every patch shape is the same but no two fabrics are alike, usually very large

Cheater Cloth-can be as old as early 19th century (1800) it is a printed fabric that looks like its been pieced with patchwork or blocks

Cheddar Orange-popular in 1870's-90's a dyed fabric using lead sugar (chromate),can turn to green with age.  Various amounts of chromate gave a spectrum of colors from chrome yellow to bright orange.

Chrome Yellow-see Cheddar

Conversation Prints-little designs usually printed on white shirting fabric that consist of hieroglyphics, bees, horseshoes, bugs and top hats made in the 1850's-1910 period

Comforter- three layers top,batting,liner (backing) that are Tied together with little knots. Piecing of fabrics but no quilting of the three layers at all.

Crazy Quilt-popular during the lavish Victorian era, random patches of silk,velvet,brocades stitched together with very fancy stitch work made by the more wealthy quilters these deteriorate quickly because of the fabric fibers, they are getting more and more rare.

Crocking-when a fabric loses its color when touched on its surface is seen often in cheddars and chromes

Cross Hatching- a single or double criss cross quilting fill pattern usually at an angle

Double Printing-printing several layers of a repetitive design and color to create the appearance of a solid color examples are: Lancaster Blue, Double Pink, Cinnamon Pink, Butterscotch, Old purples that change to brown usually from 1850-1920's time period

Double Rodding- two-three parallel quilting lines, close together, used as a fill pattern in the ground of a quilt

Echo Quilting-concentric lines of quilting stitches that outline a design at regular intervals

English Piecing-a piecing technique where fabric patches arebasted over newspaper templates,then joined, sometimes not removing paper

Fugitive-An unstable fabric dye that will fade, bleed, or change common in antique reds, greens and purples

Four Square-four fabric blocks pieced together to make a square

Friendship Quilt-see Album quilt

Homespun-handwoven, usually plaid fabric, made of homegrown wool, cotton, flax by 18th-19th century women, no difference can be made between the homemade and the now machine made Homespun now the name has come to mean simply PLAID fabric

In the Ditch-term used to describe a quiting line inside and following the pieced patchwork seam this was unheard of in very early quilts, you wanted your stitching to be shown off so you would never "put it in the ditch"  the quilting style became more and more popular as woman had less time to quilt and started to work outside of home

Kapa Lau- a type of Hawaiian applique, usually with a unique "signature" design to it, it can incorporate reverse applique techinique as well as traditional applique