An ever-growing collection of common sewing terms and abbreviations.

chain piece - often used when sewing identical blocks or pieces with a sewing machine. To chain piece, feed your pieces/blocks through the sewing machine one right after the other without cutting the thread between blocks. All your blocks will be connected by 1 continuous thread, which you later snip apart to separate blocks. This technique is a time-saver.

HST - half-square triangle; a square block made from 2 pieced right side triangles.

right side - On a printed piece of fabric, the right side is the side with the design. It's sometimes called the "pretty" side.

RST - right sides together. Place 2 pieces of fabric with the right sides facing -- or touching -- one another. Also see "right side" above for further clarification.

scant 1/4" seam allowance - a thread-width under 1/4". 

wrong side - On a printed piece of fabric, the wrong side is the side opposite the design. It's sometimes called the "ugly" side.

WST - wrong sides together. Place 2 pieces of fabric with the wrong sides facing -- or touching -- one another. Also see "wrong side" above for further clarification.