Patchwork and Quilting: What is the difference? 🧵

If you practice this creative hobby, do you tell your friends that you do patchwork, or quilting?

Anyone who has ever wandered through a craft fair or admired a handmade quilt online has probably seen these words used interchangeably, or even together.

They are indeed often confused, but although they are related, they do not mean the same thing. So, let’s untangle the threads and discover what each term really means — and how they come together to create the art of the quilt.

🪡 What is Patchwork?

Patchwork consists of sewing small pieces of fabric together — called patches — to create a larger pattern. It’s a bit like making a mosaic by sewing fabrics together. These pieces can be squares, triangles, hexagons… sewn together to form the top of the quilt, the decorative part.

Patchwork is:

• ✂️ A composition technique
• 🎨 Focused on colors, patterns, and layout
• 🧩 Made by joining pieces of fabric to create a unified surface

A modern patchwork block - Fibra Creativa

It’s a playground for creativity. Whether you choose a traditional geometric pattern or a modern abstract creation, patchwork is where visual magic begins.

Traditional patchwork 

Traditionally, patchwork, or pieced, was sewn by hand. Often it allowed using fabric scraps resulting from garment making, or recovering parts still in good condition from worn clothes, to create new beautiful useful pieces.

The traditional patchwork is generally made from blocks. There are dozens of traditional blocks, with evocative names: the Log Cabin, Flying Geese, the Drunkard's Path, the Mariner's Compass...

Contemporary patchwork and modern patchwork

Today, patchwork is often machine sewn, although the tradition of hand sewing persists, especially for quilts of traditional inspiration, certain blocks and patterns (like hexagons, complicated to sew by machine), or simply the pleasure of fully manual work.

New pieces of fabric are often bought and cut into small pieces, which would have stunned our ancestors!

Contemporary patchwork quilt "Silence" - Creation Fran Buyle, FibraCreativa

As in all branches of art and design, the rules have evolved. Contemporary patchwork has broken the classic composition of quilts into regular blocks and introduced new techniques, while modern patchwork claims a clean and quite minimalist aesthetic with bold colors. 

Modern patchwork quilt Menorca - Creation Fran Buyle

One thing does not change, however: patchwork enthusiasts continue to sew pieces of fabric together to create beautiful projects. This is the essence of patchwork.

🧶 What is Quilting?

Quilting is the sewing process of three layers:

1. The top of the quilt (up side or main side) — often but not necessarily made in patchwork
2. The padding, called batting or wadding
3. The back fabric, usually plain or matching — but which can also be a simpler patchwork

These layers, called the sandwitch, are sewn together (thus fixed by threads) according to patterns — sometimes simple straight lines, sometimes complex arabesques. Quilting provides:

• 🧵 Texture and relief
• 💪 Strength and durability
• 🛏️ Warmth and comfort

Quilting is both functional and decorative. The sewing holds the layers together while enriching the design. 

Because the batting is a non-woven textile, it would pill in the wash if it were not quilted.

Quilting has been used for centuries to make quilted blankets and warm clothing from fine and not very warm fibers and textiles, such as cotton or silk fabrics. In China, traditional quilted jackets made of cotton or silk are still worn.

Traditional quilting was (and still is) done by hand, a long and arduous task formerly often done collectively by women. Amish quilts are known for hand quilting. The tradition continues for traditional quilts, but not only: many contemporary quilts are quilted or embellished by hand, especially art quilts.

Today, quilting is often done by machine, in straight lines or free-motion. Quilting large pieces on a domestic machine is not easy, so large professional specialized machines called long arms have appeared, as well as professionals offering this service. 

Machine quilting of a modern patchwork quilt - Fran Buyle, Fibra Creativa

🔍 What is the difference between quilting and patchwork?

Element	Patchwork	Quilting
Main role	Visual composition	Assembly and finishing
Technique	Assembly of fabric pieces	Sewing through the layers
Aesthetic function	Creates the top pattern	Adds relief and texture
Materials used	Fabric scraps or blocks	Top, batting, and backing fabric
Can it exist alone?	Yes (e.g.: tablecloth, wall decoration)	Yes (e.g.: quilted solid fabric)

In summary: patchwork is the art of assembling, while quilting is the art of finishing.

🧵 Why are the two terms often confused?

Because patchwork is a very common technique for quilt tops, many automatically associate quilting with patchwork. But not all quilts are patchwork, and not all patchworks are quilted!

For example, one can:

• to create a patchwork cushion cover without quilting
• to quilt a solid fabric without patchwork: this is called a wholecloth quilt, a quilt whose top is made from a single piece of fabric.
• to applique fabric pieces onto background fabric, then assemble a quilt. Applique is not strictly speaking patchwork. 

💡 In conclusion

Patchwork and quilting are like two dance partners — distinct in their roles, but magical when united. Whether you are a beginner or passionate, understanding their difference allows you to fully appreciate the craftsmanship behind every stitch.

So next time you snuggle under a handmade quilt, take a moment to admire both the art of patchwork and the finesse of quilting that bring it to life.

FibraCreativa patchwork and quilting kits

FibraCreativa offers you several types of quilt patterns, according to your desires and the time you have:

• Patterns made of pieced patchwork
• Appliqued, then quilted (or quilted)
• Whole fabric panels to quilt, without having to piece or applique, like this blue Christmas tree table runner.