A Quilt Is Defined by Its Three Layers
A quilt is a padded bed covering. What makes something a quilt is the stitching that holds three layers together.
A quilt is a bed covering made of padding held between two layers of cloth. The definition is technical rather than decorative: a quilt is a three-layer sandwich — top, batting, backing — stitched through all three. The stitching is what makes it a quilt, not the patchwork; a plain fabric can be quilted and a patchwork top is not a quilt until it is layered and stitched. Latin *culcita*, a mattress or cushion, is the source.
- A padded bed cover. *A patchwork quilt.*
- To stitch layers together. *Quilted fabric.*
- Batting — the middle layer. *Cotton batting.*
- Patchwork — a pieced top. *Patchwork.*
- Latin — *culcita*, a mattress. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | quilt | A quilt. |
| Plural | quilts | Quilts. |
| Verb | quilt | Quilt it. |
| Adjective | quilted | A quilted jacket. |
| Noun | quilting | Quilting. |
- Her grandmother made the quilt.Bedding.
- A quilted jacket keeps the warmth in.Clothing.
- Three layers stitched through.Definition.
The three layers of a quilt
- Top — often pieced from patchwork, sometimes plain
- Batting — the insulating middle of cotton, wool or synthetic fibre
- Backing — a single piece of cloth underneath
- Quilting stitches — hold all three together and create the pattern
- Binding — the strip that finishes the raw edges
Old French *cuilte*, from Latin *culcita*, a mattress or stuffed cushion.
Is patchwork the same as quilting?
No. Patchwork is piecing fabric scraps into a top; quilting is stitching that top, the batting and the backing together.
What is batting?
The insulating middle layer of a quilt, made from cotton, wool or synthetic fibre.