It sounds like your dad is remembering having layers of quilts to keep him warm when he was a kid. When the quilts were filled with wool blankets or heavy cotton instead of synthetic materials as they are today. A friend of a friend wanted me to make him a quilt using an old wool blanket in the middle - the colder the night the more quilts were layered on top. We had them too because my grandmother's uncle had been in the calvary and had several of the blankets. They didn't know what to do with them so my great-grandmother used them for batting in a quilt. As a child it was a secure feeling snuggling under a couple of quilts. Now I am afraid I would roast. Also, we had a very fluffy quilt when I was a kid - it was store bought but was thick and fun - no idea what was inside of it, just very puffy.
Did you ask him why he was so specific?