Cot Cover
1750-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
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, 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, such as this example, 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.
This cot cover was probably created in the later part of the eighteenth century, and may have been recycled from dress materials. The reuse of textiles was a common activity at this time, particularly given the economic investment in valuable silks. It is possible that the family created this quilt from a piece of silk readily available within the home.
Quilt top: The decorative layer of the quilt. If the top is pieced, 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, such as this example, 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.
This cot cover was probably created in the later part of the eighteenth century, and may have been recycled from dress materials. The reuse of textiles was a common activity at this time, particularly given the economic investment in valuable silks. It is possible that the family created this quilt from a piece of silk readily available within the home.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Quilted silk satin and linen, silk thread, wadded with wool |
| Brief description | Quilted cot cover of silk satin and cotton, England, 1750-1800 |
| Physical description | Quilted cot cover created from a textile with a woven striped design of white linen and yellow silk satin. The same fabric has been used on both the quilt top and the reverse. The central quilted design is a stylised flower within a roundel. Quarter roundels of the same design are set in each corner. It is quilted in running stitch in yellow silk thread and wadded with uncarded and unspun wool. The ground is quilted with a grid of small diamonds, and the wide border at the edge is quilted with a pattern of zig zags and stylised flowers. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Gallery label | Group label:
In the 18th century, a mother would 'lie in' for some weeks after the birth of her child, receiving visitors in her bedchamber. In celebration of a safe delivery, friends and relatives would give presents such as cot sets and pincushions to both mother and baby. Often these were specially made for the occasion by the giver and embroidered with poignant messages. Wishes of good health were common at a time when infant mortality rates were still high.
The methods used varied. Flat-quilting is where two pieces of cloth are stitched together with no wadding in between. A single or double line of stitching creates the pattern.
Quilted cot cover
Britain
1750-1800
Silk and linen
Given by John Fowler
V&A: T.429-1966 |
| Credit line | Given by J. B. Fowler, Esq. |
| Object history | Given by John Fowler |
| Historical context | In the eighteenth century, infant mortality rates were still very high. Cot sets, pincushions and other layette items were often created or gifted in celebration of a safe delivery. Some were commissions from professional workshops but others, such as this example, were probably made within the home by a family member or friend. |
| Summary | 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, 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, such as this example, 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. This cot cover was probably created in the later part of the eighteenth century, and may have been recycled from dress materials. The reuse of textiles was a common activity at this time, particularly given the economic investment in valuable silks. It is possible that the family created this quilt from a piece of silk readily available within the home. |
| Bibliographic reference | Sue Prichard (ed.), Quilts, 1700-2010 : hidden histories, untold stories, London: V&A, 2010
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.429-1966 |
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| Record created | October 7, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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