Quilt - Definition and Overview

A quilt is a bed covering composed of two layers of fabric and a layer of batting in between, made by the technique of quilting. Many quilts are made with decorative designs; indeed, some quilts are not used as bed covering at all, but are rather made to be hung on a wall or otherwise displayed.

Some uses of quilts

• Bedding
• Decorative
• Armoury (see Gambeson)
• Commemorative (e.g., the "Twentieth Century Women of Faith" quilt on the Patchwork page)
• Educational (e.g., the "Science" quilt image shown here)
• Campaigning
• Documenting events / social history etc.
• Artistic Expression

Amongst famous quilts in history is the AIDS Memorial Quilt, begun in San Francisco in 1987 and cared for by the NAMES Project Foundation.

The Museum of the American Quilter's Society (also known as the National Quilt Museum) is located in Paducah, Kentucky. The museum houses a large collection of quilts, most of which are winning entries from the American Quilter's Society festival and quilt competition held yearly in April. The Museum also houses other exhibits of quilt collections, both historic and modern.

Many historic quilts can be seen at the American Museum in Bath.

Amish quilts are not simply utilitarian, but documenting a religious / spiritual conviction.

Ismat Chughtai wrote an Urdu-language story Lihaf (The Quilt) (1941) that lead to scandal and an unsuccessful attempt at legal prosecution of the author because it was about a lesbian relationship.

See also

• Quilting

External links

• Boise Peace Quilt Project (http://www.boisepeacequilt.org/)