The basic definition of a quilt is a piece of insulation sandwiched between two pieces of fabric. The actual quilting is the stitching that holds the three pieces together. Quilting dates back to ancient Egyptian times. It has been seen in drawings of the pharaoh’s clothing. There were also some forms of quilted clothing that were worn under armor in medieval times to keep the armor from rubbing against the skin and leaving sores.

Later, sewing together fabric and quilting were done more as wall hangings to document historical events or as a coat of arms. It was in the 17th century that it became a popular way of making a bed covering. Women realized that they could use scraps from the makings of other garments, sew them together and make a blanket. As this technique developed, intricate patterns and designs emerged. It became a sort of art form and instead of using scraps, new fabric was purchases in coordinating colors and patterns.

The most basic form of quilting is to sew together blocks from different fabrics and then to quilt around each block. There are also more intricate patterns such as the pinwheel, sunburst and wedding ring. Even more difficult is to sew material together using different colors and patterns to create a picture. Another simple method, although not very traditional, is to purchase material with a picture already printed and then quilt around that picture. Hand quilting is the most traditional way of quilting. Because this requires the quilter to make consistent, small stitches, it is very time-consuming. Many quilters have gone to using special quilting sewing machines