FABRICS TECHNOLOGY DESIGN
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST QUILT SET?
While searching for new bedding, you may stumble upon the option of a quilt amongst the wide variety of bedding possibilities. Your initial reaction may be to quickly flashback to memories of your grandma's house. However, quilts are actually still very much in style and are an exceptional choice in bedding for a comfortable night's sleep. Quilts have been modernized to fit all of today's looks, while still giving you a somewhat classic vibe. Quilts are perfect for leaving you with that nostalgic feeling, while also giving you room to decorate in a more modernized way.
History
The reason quilts may seem like a classic option is because of their deep rooted history. The use of quilts can be dated as far back as the 12th century. Quilts were originally used for warmth and as a protective garment. That doesn’t sound too far off from using it as a blanket at night, correct? Actually, quilts were used by Crusaders and soldiers as protective gear placed under their armor for comfort, warmth and protection.
Clearly, as years went on, quilts took on a different role as being a cozy bedding. However, to know that quilts were once used for such an important role can give you confidence that they are pretty reliable.
When being used as undergarments for Crusaders, quilts weren’t given designs. However, when quilts started making their transition to decorative pieces, they began to be picked up as an art form. For centuries, people have made quilts into pieces of art by stitching different fabrics together into beautiful patterns. Now today, quilting has one of the oldest art forms. Thus giving quilts even more history and beauty to have in your home.
What is a quilt?
A traditional quilt is made up of three different layers. The top layer of a quilt is called a quilt top. The quilt top is the decorative part of the quilt. It is a cloth top crafted from different pieces of fabric that get stitched together to create different patterns. The middle layer of a quilt is called the batting. The batting of a quilt is the soft inner layer and is usually made up of either wool or down. This part of the quilt is the most dense part of the blanket and is where its warmth comes from. The bottom layer of a quilt is just a plain piece of fabric. At the end, all three layers get sewn together through the technique of quilting, hence the name of the blanket itself. The final product is all three layers sewn together to become one.
Certain quilts can have thicker batting than others and can therefore be warm enough to stand alone, but usually are also paired with a top sheet for a layered look. This is because even though a thicker quilt is warm, it still isn’t as thick as something like a duvet, so a top sheet will serve as an extra layer of warmth just in case on cold nights. There are also other versions of quilts with thinner batting, often called summer-weight quilts. These quilts can even be paired with comforters themselves since they are so lightweight or may just be the perfect type of bedding for a hot sleeper!
Style
Quilts are very unique and have their own style. They can give off a more homey vibe than other bedding with their look of handcrafted patchwork (even if it isn’t specifically handcrafted, it still looks it!) Even though quilts have a specific style, each quilt can individually vary for specific taste. Quilts can range from subtle colors to bright colors. Whether you want your bedding to pop or for it to match into the color scheme of your room, quilts give you that choice. Quilts can also be patched in different patterns. They can be stitched together in box formation throughout the entire quilt, be patched into different shapes like stars over a white solid background, or be solid colors with printed designs on top. Quilt sets can be sold with matching pillows or you can choose to go for a more plain look with your own pillows. The options are yours and can be endless if quilts are your style!
If you aren’t sure if quilts are your style, experts say there are different looks that they best match with to help you out. Quilts are best incorporated with country-chic, rustic, or even coastal decorating styles. So, if your decorative taste matches along those lines, then quilts will most likely fit right into your home! Quilts are also best for people with a preference in a layered look.
Quilts can also come in any size. Quilt sets for beds can be found in twin, queen, and king sizes and look great no matter the size of the bed. Smaller or lightweight quilts, like mentioned before, can also even be used as throws for your couch in the living room. This gives you the option to incorporate the use of a quilt in different areas of your house and help tie your rooms together.
How to know if a quilt is right for you?
Quilts are popular bedding, but it’s important to ask if a quilt is right for you!
It all depends on how you prefer to sleep. If you enjoy sleeping with multiple layers where you have the option to add or remove, a quilt may be a great option! As mentioned before, quilts come in lighter-weight styles to pair with even other comforters, or they can be thick enough to just sleep with a top sheet at night. If you are a hot sleeper a quilt is definitely a great choice for you all because of the adding and removing layers aspect. Then again, this can also be beneficial for chilly sleepers because you can continue to add the layers until you’re as comfortable as possible. It all just depends on if you prefer layers!
That aspect also goes hand in hand with not only do you enjoy the feel of layers, but do you also like how layers look? If you prefer to see your bedding beautifully stacked, quilts could be your new favorite trend. Not only are quilts a beautiful addition to give you a homey feeling, but you can add top sheets to fold over at the top of your bed to complete your look.
You also have to ask if quilts are a match with your decorative style? If you're going for a country-chic, rustic, or coastal style in your home, a quilt would be a great addition to tie it all together. Quilts and quilt sets can be a great addition to your home and be a major incorporation that you never even knew you needed! Add them to your bedroom or even as a throw in your living room to finish off that last aspect of decorating you’ve been looking for. The history behind quilting will give your home a new sense of charm whenever you see your fresh quilt beautifully displayed. With all of this information, you can now easily decide if a quilt is perfect for you.
Emily Trzeciak
A New Jersey-based professional writer, blogger with a passion for writing about lifestyle, entertainment and trending topics.