Bed cover

Quilting is a method of stitching layers of material together. The layers are most commonly divided as follows:

Quilt top: The decorative layer of the quilt. If the top is pieced, such as this example, it is known as a 'patchwork quilt'. If the top is a single piece of fabric in which the design is formed primarily through the stitching, it is known as a 'wholecloth quilt'.

Wadding/batting: A layer of cotton, wool, polyester, silk or other material, which adds warmth and dimension to the quilt.

Reverse: The bottom layer, usually made from one piece of fabric.

Hand-quilting is done on a frame using needles called 'betweens'. The stitches are executed with one hand; the other hand is kept underneath the quilt to feel for the needle. Small, uniform stitches (usually a 'running stitch') are taken through the three layers to form a decorative design.

In eighteenth-century Britain the bedroom was a public space. It was a place where family members rested and guests were entertained. It was also one of the main sites used for the display of treasured textiles and needlework skills. Pieced bed covers could reflect a maker's access to a range of desirable goods, and many textiles were bought specially for patchwork projects; as unused yardage from drapers, tailors and haberdashers. The huge variety of ribbons evident here suggests that they may have been acquired in this way, either from local retailers or pedlars. Householders also recycled textiles within the home, and it may be that the maker has also incorporated fragments from other dress-making and furnishing projects, or salvaged remnants from otherwise unusable objects. This was a common practice even the wealthiest households, given the financial and emotional investment in valuable fabrics at this time.