When I started The Caterpillar Club back in 2022, I quickly discovered that fabric names vary widely depending on where in the world you live. What’s called one thing in New Zealand might be something entirely different elsewhere, and that can be a little confusing when you’re sharing tutorials and quilt patterns across borders.
Here in New Zealand, Homespun refers to a 100% cotton woven fabric, available in a wide range of colours. I use the Spotlight brand, which is made in Pakistan. It has a lovely weight and finish, and I use it regularly as the top and bottom fabric in my quilt blocks.
For the inner layer of my rag quilt blocks, I typically use cotton flannel, although here in New Zealand we call it flannelette. Occasionally, I use unbleached Calico for an antique look and because I can’t find a flannelette in a colour that matches, I use Calico as the middle layer too. It might not be everyone’s go to for rag quilting, but I’ve found it rags beautifully and feels incredibly soft once washed and dried.
To better understand fabric equivalents internationally, my wonderful friend Amy Limbacher from Amy’s Modern Fray kindly sent me a range of fabric swatches from the United States so I could make some side-by-side comparisons.
Here’s what I found:
• US Quilter’s Cotton is the closest match to our Homespun.
• US Flannel aligns with our Spotlight flannelette, particularly the 112cm wide version.
• US Muslin is most similar to our Calico.
• Our Muslin, on the other hand, is more like a lightweight gauze—very soft, often used for baby wraps.
And thankfully, some things are universal…Gutermann 100% Polyester thread is consistent in quality no matter where you live. 😉
Whether you’re quilting in New Zealand, the US, or anywhere else, understanding these fabric translations can really help when sourcing materials or following international patterns. I hope this comparison helps bridge the gap a little! R
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