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I thought comforters were smaller quilts, only covering the top of the bed and a few inches draping down each side. Diane C

Wow, Jan, what a fascinating post. Such history. As to the original topic, I always thought like Ube. I based the difference between quilt and comforter on loft, not mode of completion. High loft = comforter in my mind. I suspect I came to that reasoning because of down comforters. They are always lofty (which is why they are so wonderfully warm!) and I have never heard a down filled bed covering referred to as anything but a comforter. Also in the 70's when "comforters" were all the rage in bedding, they were always very poofy and lofty. So that is probably how I came to that way of thinking. But that is JMHO.

I was always told it isn't a quilt unless its "quilted." So since I wanted to be a quilter I've always quilted mine. But Jan in Va has now solved the problem. I guess if we call it a quilt it's a quilt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan in VA (Post 6979599)

I have a dispute with the statement in this article that Canton Historical Society has the oldest whole cloth quilt made in America in their collection, 1786.
Jan in VA

[/QUOTE] ......I decided to look up when comforters came into existence and instead found a really good article about our craft. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_quilting [/QUOTE]

With so much on the internet, not everything is as it seems. Wikipedia is made up of ordinary people posting as experts. I could go there pick a subject I think I am expert in and post. Regardless of if I know anything or not. Wikipedia can have excellent info and can have crap. Just be aware. Kinda like Snopes. Snopes started as a couple searching the internet, sometimes their answers are not so true, more opinion. Be aware!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb in Louisiana (Post 6979852)

Jan, I wonder how you would get Wikipedia updated to show your information? It sure would be nice to have factual information online.

Believe it or not you can go to Wikipedia and just change it yourself. Seriously, try it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ube quilting (Post 6978506)

Comforters are found in hotels, quilts are found in homes:D. I have always called them quilts, tied or stitched.

Also a comforter, in my humble, modern opinion, has a very high loft. Right or wrong, that is how I distinguish them.
peace

ube quilting, I am of the same thought. To me, comforters are filled with a lot of "fluff" and not much stitching holding them together. In my day, I'd bought several of the Walmart-KMart-Penney's-Sears comforters. One washing and the fluff would bunch up and leave a knobby mess. More than once I found myself ripping the stitching and removing the filling and closing in up to use as a bedspread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SueSew (Post 6978026)

This is how we call things where I come from -

I think a comforter is stuffed all plump with some really fluffy batting or down or 'feather-alternative'. It has wide-spaced channel quilting and cross-sewing to hold the stuffing in place. It is often so decorative no bedspread is necessary.

I think a quilt is fairly flat, usually cotton, with a backing fabric and usually with a flat batting in the middle, densely sewn in some pattern or other or just hatching, and not thick and puffy at all. It doesn't need to be covered by a bedspread and it is very often made of lots of little pieces of fabric (in my case perfectly good fabric cut into hundreds of little pieces!), or possibly scraps of old clothing, joined in a decorative pattern.

Bedspreads can be a any fabric, even brocade, can be rectangularr or tailored to bed size, and some have a quilted silky-feeling backing to them, but they are still designed to COVER UP the bedclothes, not to keep you warm.

A duvet is one of those plain white comforters stuffed with goose down or 'alternative' and it has a duvet cover. I call it a comforter with airs!

JMHO!

I agree to all of this except for the duvet, I've only heard and seen duvet covers that are to put a comforter inside of, rather to protect to just get a different design/color that before. My grandmothers tied all of thier quilts and they never called them comforters.

Jan, as always you are a fountain of knowledge. I so greatly value all of your input. All of us quilters (from novice to accomplished) should feel privileged and humbled to be part of such great history. Thanks to all for your comments.

My DM and DGM used to make whole cloth very heavy tied what they called comforters. Anything pieced and tied they called quilts. Some of the comforters were stuffed with feathers or cotton right out of the fields.

I think this is a fun thread to read; seeing everyone's ideas of what constitutes what.
For my nickle, I will say that I think of a quilt as being pieced then sewn or tied together; whole cloth quilts being the exception that makes this rule. I see a comforter as whole or large pieces of fabric, sewn together in very large pieces or one piece each for front and back, with just enough stitching to hold the very puffy padding together.
I also never think of a comforter having binding, only a quilt, but not all quilts. LOL