What is a quilt?

I pulled out a 1969 Webster’s Dictionary to find an answer. Quilt is defined as a bedcover made of two layers of cloth filled with down, wool, etc. and stitched together in lines or patterns. As a kid growing up that definition would have been exactly right. Spending the night at Granny’s house meant multiple quilts piled on top of you to keep you warm until the fire was started the next morning.  

But a quilt is more than a bedcover. Quilts from years past are now recognized and displayed as works of art. Many of these beautiful textiles are completely hand pieced, hand sewn, and stuffed with lumps of cotton or wool. Modern quilts may never touch a bed. Instead, they begin their existence as a work of art created with accurate cutting devices, nicely rolled battings, and stitched by computer driven machines.  

Whether old or new, quilts bring comfort, beauty, and often document milestones in our lives.  More about that next time.