An ancient decorative craft that is traced back to the Egyptians in 3400 B.C, the word "quilt" comes from the Latin word ‘culcita’, meaning a stuffed sack. During the14th century in Europe, Scythian soldiers would wear amour made out of linen or wool that was stuffed with everything from rags to horse hair. Called the ‘Gambeson’, these armors, resembling quilts, would protect the soldiers from tough blows and chaffing. Six centuries later in 1987, Cleve Jones along with a group of volunteers started the AIDS Memorial Quilt. A series of 3 ft x 6 ft quilts (the size of a coffin) was created by those who lost loved ones to AIDS and displayed for public viewing. Artistically fashioned with memorabilia of the deceased, these quilts spread awareness about the disease and raised sympathies for the departed. Currently, the AIDS Memorial Quilt series is made up of 5,712 blocks of quilt.
Generally used for bedding, the quilt is also of decorative value. Making a quilt usually involves patchwork, appliqué or embroidery. Artistic or simply pleasing to the eye, a quilt always gains a certain amount of personal attachment. A quilt can either be made by sewing several pieces of cloth together or using a single large piece of cloth. Often, the pieces of cloth sewn together are distinguished with strips of cloth stitched between them. Quilt fabrics could include lace, suede, leather, mink, taffeta, linen, wool and more. Decorative materials such as pearls, quartz crystals, rhinestones, sequins, feathers, and buttons are also used to embellish them.
Proven to be highly versatile, the quilt has always been a means of expressing human emotion. A household essential, the humble quilt has come a long way since 3400 B.C. Whether making a mark for a global issue to just being used as bedding, the quilt will always remain an important inclusion in all homes. |
