Quilting

Types of Quilts

To the discerning eye, there is only one type of quilt. If you don’t know much about quilts, then you might think that all quilts are just scraps of fabric sewn together to form a nice blanket. The reality is that the world of quilts is actually quite a diverse one. There are quilts that are sewn for different occasions such as a memorial quilt to remember someone, quilts that are made using different techniques, and quilts that come from different cultures.

While there are many types of quilts, they can be sorted out into two groups: utility quilts and heirloom quilts. Back in the old days, quilts were made out of necessity. Making a quilt with pretty, intricate designs was not considered to be much of a priority.

Because many people often could not afford to waste fabric scraps, they would use those pieces of fabric to put a quilt together to keep them warm during cold nights. Quilts were even hung in front of some windows and doors to keep drafts out. With utility quilts, you will usually just see simple block designs. In a way, you can say that utility quilts have a bit of a rustic look and feel to them. Patchwork quilts and scrap quilts both use bits of leftover fabric.

Heirloom quilts on the other hand, are meticulously designed because they are meant to be beautiful and ideally passed down from one generation to the next. One can argue that more attention to detail is put into these quilts. These quilts are meant to have more sentimental meaning compared to utility quilts. Some quilts that have a lot of sentimental meaning include memory quilts and baby quilts.

Memory quilts are a way to preserve memories. Whether you’re making one for your child or one in memory of your late mother, it is a way to remember someone that you love. You gather pieces of fabric from clothes that this person has worn and you use those pieces to create a unique quilt that will be full of so many treasured memories.

Baby quilts, of course, are quilts that are made just for babies, though sometimes they can use them as toddlers as well. These quilts should be small enough to fit into the baby’s crib. When making a baby quilt, it is encouraged that one uses cotton as opposed to synthetic fabrics. This makes it less likely for the baby’s sensitive skin to be irritated. Babies tend to love the feeling of flannel, so that is a fabric that is worth considering as well. Because babies can make things a little messy, you might want to stay away from using white fabric for the quilt.

Another type of quilt that is similar to patchwork quilting is rag quilting. Rag quilts are a newer phenomenon as they use fabric that might be considered unconventional such as denim or flannel. Rag quilts are actually made in a way that when washed thoroughly, fraying occurs throughout much of the quilt in a very specific pattern. This is completely intentional and it gives these quilts a very unique and rustic look.

Cathedral quilts are very different from traditional quilts and they look incredibly unique. The parts of the quilt that resemble the cathedral window panes are made using muslin or cheesecloth to mimic the transparency that these windows have.

These are just a few of the many kinds of quilts that you can make. If you have any questions about the materials that you need to help you get started on a quilt, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. At N. Jefferson Ltd., we have all of the quilting supplies that you could ever need. Just take a look at our website to see all of the choices you have.