quilt

soft furnishing

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

A quilt is a bed covering made of two layers of fabric with padding in between, held together by stitching or ties. This sewing technique, known as quilting, has been used for centuries for clothing and bedding, offering warmth and protection.12

Quilts are typically constructed in multiple steps. First, a "quilt top" is created, often from assembled blocks of fabric patches or appliquéd shapes. Then, batting is layered between the quilt top and a backing fabric. The three layers are then sewn together with multiple rows of stitching to create the quilting design.2

Historically, quilting traditions have spread globally, with early examples found in Europe and Asia. In America, quilting evolved from practical necessity to an art form, with distinct styles emerging over centuries, including patchwork, appliqué, and album quilts.2

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bedspread
…French word contrepoinct, meaning “stitched quilt,” was probably made of patched or applied pieces, quilted together. The quilts, or quilted bedspreads, in both appliqué and patchwork, that were made in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries have come to be considered an important type of American folk…
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…French word contrepoinct, meaning “stitched quilt,” was probably made of patched or applied pieces, quilted together. The quilts, or quilted bedspreads, in both appliqué and patchwork, that were made in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries have come to be considered an important type of American folk…
Read More

patchwork
…by the early 1800s patchwork quilts had appeared in other countries, particularly England, they flourished in 19th-century America as both bedding and decorative showpieces of the needlewoman’s skill. At the end of the Civil War, thousands of cotton print fabrics appeared, along with patterns published in newspapers, women’s magazines, and…
Read More
…by the early 1800s patchwork quilts had appeared in other countries, particularly England, they flourished in 19th-century America as both bedding and decorative showpieces of the needlewoman’s skill. At the end of the Civil War, thousands of cotton print fabrics appeared, along with patterns published in newspapers, women’s magazines, and…
Read More