Quilts

Quilting is the process of securing wadding between two layers of fabric using stitching techniques. Since quilts are composed of multiple fabrics and padding, they have historically been used to provide warmth for their owners.

Quilts have been in use for thousands of years, although the earliest examples surviving today were made in northern Mongolia during the 1st century A.D. In Europe, bed quilts were commonplace by the 14th century, with many quilters creating elaborate patchwork and narrative scenes to decorate the fabric surfaces. In colonial America, African Americans made quilts for themselves and white slave owners and developed an increasingly distinctive style following their emancipation in 1865. Harriet Powers, a prominent African American quilt maker from Georgia, used traditional applique techniques to create pieces illustrating Bible stories and important astronomical events.

Since the '70s, embroiderers have been increasingly interested in reviving quilt making. Today, quilters across the world use a variety of hand quilting and machine quilting techniques to create these functional and decorative works of art.

Quick Facts

• On September 15, 2015, Swann Auction Galleries sold "Maya Angelou’s Quilt of Life," quilted by Faith Ringgold, for $380,000
• In 18th-century Europe, quilting was used not only to create bed covers, but also informal house jackets, night caps, and women’s petticoats
• In 15th-century Sweden, quilts were made of silk, wool, and felt and produced exclusively for churches and the nobility