any cover
or garment made by putting wool, cotton, etc., between two cloths and
stitching them together." The verb, to quilt, he defines as "To stitch
or to sew together at frequent intervals in order to confine in place
the several layers of cloth and wadding of which a garment, comforter,
etc., may be made. To stitch or sew in lines or patterns."

The "Encyclopaedia Britannica" is a little more explicit and also gives
the derivation of the name, quilt, as follows: "Probably a coverlet
for a bed consisting of a mass of feathers, down, wool, or other soft
substances, surrounded by an outer covering of linen, cloth, or other
material." In its earlier days the "quilt" was often made thick and
sewed as a form of mattress. The term was also given to a stitched,
wadded lining for body armour. "The word came into English from old
French _cuilte_. This is derived from Latin _culcitra_, a stuffed
mattress or cushion. From the form _culcitra_ came old French _cotra_,
or _coutre_ whence _coutre pointe_; this was corrupted into
counterpoint, which in turn was changed to counterpane. The word
'pane' is also from the Latin _pannus_, a piece of cloth. Thus
'counterpane,' a coverlet for a bed, and 'quilt' are by origin the
same word."

Broadly speaking, from these definitions, any article made up with an
interlining may be called a quilt. However, usage has restricted the
meaning of the word until now it is applied to a single form of bed
covering. In the United States the distinction has been carried even
farther and a quilt is understood to be a light weight, closely
stitched bedcover. When made thicker, and consequently warmer, it is
called a "comfort."

The three necessary parts of a quilt are the top, the lining or back,
and the interlining. The top, which is the important feature, unless
the quilting is to be the only ornamentation, may be a single piece of
plain cloth; or it may be pieced together from many small pieces
different in size, colour, and shape, so as to form either simple or
fanciful designs. The top may also be adorned with designs cut from
fabrics of varying colours and applied to the foundation with fancy
stitches, or it may be embroidered. The materials may be either
cotton, linen, wool, or silk. The back is usually of plain material,
which requires no description. The interlining, if the quilting is to
be close and elaborate, must be thin. If warmth is desired a thicker
interlining is used and the lines o