Homemade Quilts
Homemade quilts have been used for comfort and warmth, for decorative or ceremonial purposes, and to celebrate momentous occasions such as births and weddings. Ranging from the simple to the complex, there are thousands of quilt patterns and color combinations, making each homemade quilt an expression of its maker's personality, mood and creativity.
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Definition
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Merriam-Webster defines a quilt as a bed coverlet of two layers of cloth filled with padding, held in place by ties or stitched designs. The first layer of cloth is called the quilt top. The padding in the center is known as batting, and the final layer of fabric is called the quilt backing. All three layers together are known as the quilt sandwich.
History
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Quilting has a rich history dating back to Egyptian times, although quilters of the era put their efforts into quilted garments rather than bed coverings. Wealthy ladies in the Regency period of England were known for decorative crazy quilting, where the patterns were created by ornamental stitches rather than through fabric placement. Quilters in America's pioneer days created quilts from necessity, needing the warmth that extra blankets would provide.
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Types
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Homemade quilts have traditionally been used as bed coverings with patterns ranging from the basic nine-patch pieced quilt to the elaborate Baltimore album appliquéd quilt. Patterns for quilt tops have been handed down from generation to generation, each era having its own style and effect on quilting history. Quilters have used their creativity to expand the definition of quilts, creating art quilts for purely decorative purposes, miniature quilts for dolls, and quilted clothing.
Materials
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Experienced quilters recommend 100 percent cotton fabric when making a homemade quilt, because of its breathability and because it shrinks consistently. Two layers of cotton fabric surround the third layer, called batting. Batting is sold commercially these days, but historically could have been a third layer of fabric, wool shorn from a sheep, or even another blanket. A strong thread, preferably made of 100 percent cotton, is used to bind the layers together.
Methods
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Quilts can be pieced or appliquéd. A pieced quilt is created by sewing together pieces of fabric into a pattern. Appliqued quilts are created by sewing patterns cut from another piece of fabric onto the quilt top, often in the shape of flowers. Thread painting and beading are used for art quilts, applying thread and beads to create the quilt top design.
Once the quilt top has been completed, the quilting process begins. Quilting is an action verb, meaning to stitch the three layers--quilt top, quilt backing, and batting--together. Quilting can be done by hand with a needle and thread, or by using a sewing machine. Quilting patterns can be complex patterns or simple lines. Quilts can also be tied with thread in a simple sequence of knots, rather than quilted.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit ronnieb/morgueFile.com
