| Quilts displayed at a county fair. |
A quilt is a type of bedding composed several layers generally combined using the technique of quilting. Many are made with decorative designs, and some of these are not used as bed covering at all, but are rather made to be hung on a wall or otherwise displayed.
In addition to quilting the quilt layers can be combined by tying. Tying refers to the technique of using thread, yarn or ribbon to pass through all three layers of the quilt at regular intervals. These "ties" hold the layers together during use and especially when the quilt is washed. This method is easier and more forgiving if the quilt is made by hand. Tied quilts are called, depending on the regional area, "lap", "comfort" or "comforter", among other names.
In British English, duvet may be used instead of quilt, wadding is another way of saying batting, and calico refers to muslin, rather than to a fabric with a printed pattern on it.
Quilts have come a long way for our purposes. We feature links here to many artists who use quilting techniques, both new and old, to express artistic agendas. Quilts aren't just for warmth anymore; modern quilters often choose to display their craft instead of sleep under it! We are certain that once you peruse the following links, you will never see quilting as a mere utilitarian pursuit again.
Free Patterns:
- Our Free Embroidered Wool Patterns
- Free Applique Patterns from WeeFolk
- Our Free Quilt Maps
- Grandmother's Flower Garden Templates
- Free Sawtooth Star Quilt Templates
Quilt Artists:
- Deirdre Abbotts
- LaDan Abosein
- B.J. Adams
- Bob Adams
- Deidre C. Adams
- Eve Agee
- Terese Agnew
- Glenda Alexander
- Katherine Allen
- Pamela Allen
- Allison Aller
- Loretta Alvarado
- Charlotte Warr Andersen
- Frieda L. Anderson
- Mary Andrews
- Sue Andrus
- Madeleine Appell
- Rob Appell
- Juno Art
- Bethan Ash
- Esterita Austin
- Lauren Austin
- Pat Autenrieth
- Debbie Babin
- Cathleen Richardson Bailey
- Barbara Barber
- C. June Barnes
- Sonya Lee Barrington
- Elizabeth Barton
- Ursula Baumung
- Alice Beasley
- Phil Beaver
- Jeanne Beck
- Joyce Becker
- Marilyn Belford
- JoAnn Belling
- Sue Benner
- Sharon Benton
- Liz Berg
- Wendy Butler Berns
- Sandra Betts
- Priscilla Bianchi
- Barbara Bilyard
- Charlotte Bird
- Cindy Blackberg
- Jane Blair
- Patt Blair
- Giselle Gilson Blythe
- Janet Bolton
- Eszter Bornemisza
- Mary Jo Bowers
- Jenny Bowker
- Fi Bowman
- Norma Bradley
- Ann Brauer
- Patricia Bravo
- Donna Bray-Zakreski
- Carol Bridges
- Elizabeth Brimelow
- Susan Brittingham
- Martha Brown
- Nancy Brown
- Susan E. Brown
- Tanya Brown
- Regina Browne
- Rachel Brumer
- Karen Kay Buckley
- Pauline Burbidge
- Elizabeth Busch
- Meryl Ann Butler
Blogging About Quilts:
- A Bit of Creativity Every-Single-Day (Melanie Testa)
- And sew it goes (Terry Grant)
- Art Journal - A Creative Journey (Katherine Sands)
- Artjourneys (Cathy Ortelle)
- Art Quiltz (Pam Rappaport)
- Chary Sprouts (Jane Davila)
- Croque-Choux
- Del Quilts (Del Thomas)
- Dreaming Spirals (Liz Plummer)
- El Cielo Studio (Susie Monday)
- Fiber Inspirations by Lisa Walton
- Fiber into Art (Heidi Zielinski)
- Fiber Mania (Melody Johnson)
- Going to Pieces (Diane Perin Hock)
- Golden Dog Quilting (Judy Bowers)
- Having Fun (Sherryl Buchler)
- Horizons: on the art and soul of quilting (Valerie Hearder)
- In a Minute Ago
- The Inside Stori (Mary Stori)
- Jerusalem Notes: Fiberwork by Debbie
- JYA Fiberarts (Judith Anderson)
- Laughing Girl Quilts (Lori Gravley)
- Layers of Meaning (Serena Fenton)
- Leigh's Quilting Blog (Leigh-Anne Crooke)
- Leslie Tucker Jenison, Mixed Media Artist
- Leslie's New Works and Thoughts
- Lisa's Art & Musings
- Marga's Crafts
- Martha's Blog
- Musings of a Procrastinator Extraordinaire (Lisa Coulombe)
- Musings of a Textile Itinerant (Dijanne Cevaal)
- Nancy G. Cook - News from my Studio
- Natural Dye Journal (Kimberly Baxter Packwood)
- Painted Threads (Judy Coates Perez)
- pcox design (Patty VanHuis-Cox)
- Serendipity Patchwork and Quilting (Brenda Smith)
- Sonji Says (Sonji Hunt)
- Splendiferous (Wendy L. Starn)
- Studio 78 Notes (Rayna Gillman)
- Studio Threads (Vivian Milholen)
- Suzanne's Studio Notes (Suzanne Sanger)
- Views.....Near and Far (Margarete Steinhauer)
- Sundance, Wild Women and DreamWeavers
- Twisted Sister (Jaime Fingal)
- Vermont Quilter (Jacquie Scuitto)
- Whiffs, Glimmers & Left Oeuvres (Diane Lacativa)
- Winnowings - Separating Wheat From Chaff (Christine Thresh)
History Of Quilts:
- Amish Quilts
- Womenfolk: The Art of Quilting
- Patches From the Past
- The History of Crazy Quilts
- Quilts as symbol in America
- Quilts in Literature
- Baltimore Album Quilt Tradition
- American Quilt Study Group
- New Pathways Into Quilt History
- Quilt History
- The Quilt Index
- Quilt History Study Groups
- Famous Bible Quilts
- Depression Era Calico Prints
- American Quilt Study Group
- American Quilters Society
- Antelope Valley Quilt Association
- Appliqué Society
- Asheville Quilt Guild
- Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters
- Aurora Colony Museum
- Austin Area Quilt Guild
- Bay Area Quilt Guild
- Block Party Quilters
- Boise Basin Quilters
- Busy Bee Quilters
- Camano Island Quilters
- Canadian Quilter's Association
- Capitol Quilters Guild
- Central Oklahoma Quilters Guild
- CHD Awareness Quilt
- Clark County Quilters
- Coastal Quilters Guild
- Colorado Quilting Council
- Columbia Stitchery Guild
- Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery
- Coos Art Museum
- Covington Quilters Guild
- Desert Sage Quilters of Magic Valley
- East Bay Heritage Quilters
- Elk Grove Quilt Guild
- Embroiderers' Guild of America
- Emerald Valley Quilters
- Empire Quilters
- Florida Quilt Collection.
- Fraser Valley Quilters' Guild
- Friendship Quilters of San Diego
- Havasu Stitchers
- Hobby Industry Association (HIA)
- Illini Country Stitchers Quilt Guild
- Kitsap Quilters Bremerton, WA.
- La Conner Quilt Museum
- Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild
- Latimer Quilt and Textile Center
- Marys River Quilt Guild
- Mayflower Quilters Guild
- Metropolitan Patchwork Society
- Minnesota Quilters
- Mission Hill Museum
- Moonlight Quilters Guild years.
- Mt. Bachelor Quilters Guild
- Mountain Stars Quilters' Guild
- National Craft Association
- National Quilting Association
- New England Quilt Museum
- North Star Quilters
- Orange County Quilters
- Pacific Needle Arts Guild
- Pajaro Valley Quilt Association
- Palouse Patchers Quilt Guild
- Pomeroy Living History Farm
- Puyallup Valley Quilters
- The Quiet Valley Quilters gallery
- Quilters Anonymous
- QuiltersBee
- Quilters Guild of Plano
- Quilters Sew-Ciety of Redding, Inc.
- Rainy Daze Quilt Guild
- River City Quilters' Guild
- River Heritage Quilt Guild
- Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
- Sandy Historical Society
- San Francisco Quilters' Guild
- San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles
- Studio Art Quilt Associates
- Studio Fiber Artists
- Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club
- Sunshine Quilters of San Diego
- Surface Design Association
- Textile Museum of Canada
- Trail's End Longarm Quilters
- Tri-City Quilters' Guild
- Tucson Quilter's Guild
- Umpqua Valley Quilters
- Washington State Quilters
- West Sound Quilters
- Yakima Valley Quilters' Guild