Yardage
Yardage is linear fabric length: one international yard equals 36 inches.
Length and width
A length does not supply usable width or prove that a cut list fits. Inches and yards are the default dimension and purchase units on this site.
Usable fabric width
On this site, usable fabric width means the cuttable width after excluding selvage or other unusable edges. Remove selvages before piecing backing.
Nominal width and usable width
WOF means width of fabric; a nominal bolt label remains separate from the measured usable width entered into a calculation.
Half-square triangle sizes
A half-square triangle (HST) is a square unit made from two triangle patches. Finished size is measured after the unit is sewn into the project; unfinished size is measured before that seam.
Starting square and trim target
This site labels its 2-at-a-time calculator with a 1/4 in seam allowance and the finished size + 7/8 in starting-square formula, with a trim target of finished size + 1/2 in unfinished.
Precut formats
Fat quarters, squares, strips and bundles describe shapes and purchase formats. Names, dimensions and pack contents can vary by brand.
Check eligible pack contents
Check the actual usable rectangle and eligible pieces for your fabric role; a nominal yardage equivalent does not make different shapes interchangeable.
Seams and allowances
On this site, backing overhang is extra dimension around the top; a piecing seam allowance is material consumed at a joined edge.
Binding total extra
Binding total extra is a chosen length for joining and finishing, not an amount added for every seam.
Cutting reserve and purchase rounding
A cutting reserve is explicitly chosen extra material; purchase rounding is the separate buying increment applied afterward. Keep these named variables separate rather than treating them as one waste percentage.
Piece size terms
Finished size is the intended size after the piece is sewn into the project. Unfinished size includes the outer seam allowance before that join.
Cut size depends on the method
Starting cut size depends on the construction: a rectangle, HST, QST and Flying Geese unit do not share one universal size addition. Follow the named method and its trim target.
Sashing and subcuts
Sashing strips sit between quilt blocks. A cornerstone is a fabric square at a sashing intersection.
Record subcut dimensions
Subcutting means cutting an already cut piece again, often across a strip to produce smaller pieces. Record the final cut dimensions and counts for each fabric role.
Measurement abbreviations
WOF means width of fabric; HST means half-square triangle; QST means quarter-square triangle.
Dimension and unit abbreviations
W × L identifies width by length, in means inches and yd means yards on this site. An abbreviation identifies a term or unit; it does not select a construction, usable width or allowance.