BRIEF HISTORY OF QUILTS

One of the more common questions asked by our customers has been, “How long have quilts been around?”

According to the book, Quilter’s Complete Guide by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter, quilts can be traced back to ancient Egypt and China where three layers of fabric were sewn together to keep the batting or middle layer from slipping and clumping between the top layer and the backing.

There is evidence that during the 11th century, quilting was used to keep layers of padding together under the armor. Quilts were also used as common trade goods in wealthy circles in Europe and Asia going back as far as the 15th century.

By the 1700’s, it was quite popular in England for women to wear quilted petticoats and underskirts and the men to wear quilted waistcoats. Quilted bedding was also beginning to appear and it is believed that quilts were introduced in the American Colonies during this century.

Quilting in America became more popular with the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Women no longer had to spend most of their time spinning and weaving to provide fabric for their families. By the mid 1800’s, the textile industry had grown to where commercial fabrics were affordable for most families and as a result quilt making became widespread.

There was a short period during the mid 20th century when quilting was not a regular pastime for Americans but since the late 1970’s quilting has had a resurgence of popularity which continues to the present day.

TYPES OF QUILTS

Generally, quilts can be broken down into three categories:

Whole cloth – quilts made of a solid piece of fabric with the three layers - top, batting and backing were quilted together with the quilting itself becoming the pattern.

Broderie perse – quilts that used the appliqué of cut out motifs from printed fabric and were then sewn onto a solid background. By cutting out birds, flowers and other images from printed fabric and sewn onto a whole cloth quilt, a beautiful bed covering could be made.

Medallion – quilts made around a large center piece like a toile an appliquéd motif or a large pieced star or other pieced pattern. The central area was surrounded by two or more borders. These borders could be solid but many were pieced or appliquéd.

COMMON QUILT PATTERNS

There has always been and will continue to be a connection with the names that quilters have given their quilt patterns. There are names remembering national and political events, religious beliefs, family life and the environment.

Quilt pattern names like the Bethlehem Star, Joseph’s Coat and Crown of Thorns refer to their spiritual background. Pride in our national heritage and politics can be found in the Daniel Boone quilt, Abe Lincoln’s Log Cabin, Railroad Crossing or the Dolly Madison’s Star. Farm and family life are reflected in patterns like the Broken Wheel, Tumbling Blocks, Melon Patch and Dresden Plate. Romantic names like the Double Wedding Ring, environmental names like Bears Paw and quilts named after a city or state like the St. Louis Star or New York Beauty just add to the seemingly endless names of patterns in existence today.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BED COVERINGS

Another common question asked by our customers is “What’s the difference between a bedspread, a comforter, a coverlet and a quilt?”

Let’s start with a bedspread. Bedspreads are a simple yet timeless bed covering. They cover the entire bed, hang over the sides of the bed to the floor and fold over your pillows.

Comforters are usually a printed shell with a solid back filled with polyester. They do not touch the floor like a bedspread so a bed skirt or dust ruffle may be needed to cover the box spring.

Coverlets, like the comforter, just cover the top of the bed. Unlike comforters, they are lightweight and are most often used with a comforter or quilt to add a layer of different color and texture to the bedroom setting.

Quilts are usually made with several types of fabric sewn together to form a distinct pattern or design. Quilts have three layers and are bound together using the traditional hand sewn or machine pieced method. The batting or middle layer can be made from either cotton or polyester. Bed skirts or dust ruffles are also used with a quilt since they do not normally reach the floor.

Another question – “What is a duvet?” A duvet is a large covering that you would put your quilt or comforter into in order to protect it from dust, dirt or pets. Duvets also give you a different look in the bedroom by adding color and patterns to change the theme in an instant.

Standard Mattress Sizes

In order to calculate the drop of the quilt on each side of the bed, subtract the width of the quilt from the width of the mattress and divide by two. 

For example: a Queen quilt that measures 90 x 96 will have a 15 inch drop on each side of the bed.

Fax Order Form

If you prefer to fax or send in your order by mail, please click on this link to print the form.  Once it is filled out, please fax it to 1-828-357-8157 or mail it to the address listed on the form.

Care Instructions

All of our quilts are either 100% cotton shell and fill or 100% cotton shell with a poly fill. Most are machine washable, using cold water and a mild detergent. We recommend that the quilt be line dried.  Matching accessories can also be washed following the same instructions.