Originally Posted by Rhaorth
at the risk of sounding stupid.... what is a stay stitch?
Not stupid. :) It's a term that comes from garment sewing, and it means to stitch close to the edge with large stitches. It prevents garments from stretching on the bias while they're being made (hence the "stay" part). In quilting it helps keep blocks together at the seams, and keeps the edges straight and prevents stretching.