About Quilt Sandwiches
Dec. 15th, 2024 10:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grayestofghostsMy partner helped me put together a small quilt sandwich today and it got me thinking.
For those who don't know, a quilt sandwich is the construction of the quilt before the actual quilting part. You have your quilt top (usually patchwork for most projects), the batting (fluffy stuff) and the quilt back (often a large, plain piece of fabric, but it could also be a patchwork if you want a double-sided one). So, it's fabric, fluffy stuff, and fabric, like a sandwich.
So, as far as we know, sandwiches have a definite invention in the Earl of Sandwich's household around 1762. However quilting is much older, and was widespread in Europe in the form of gambesons and otherwise much earlier.
So... what were quilt sandwiches called before there were sandwiches?
For those who don't know, a quilt sandwich is the construction of the quilt before the actual quilting part. You have your quilt top (usually patchwork for most projects), the batting (fluffy stuff) and the quilt back (often a large, plain piece of fabric, but it could also be a patchwork if you want a double-sided one). So, it's fabric, fluffy stuff, and fabric, like a sandwich.
So, as far as we know, sandwiches have a definite invention in the Earl of Sandwich's household around 1762. However quilting is much older, and was widespread in Europe in the form of gambesons and otherwise much earlier.
So... what were quilt sandwiches called before there were sandwiches?
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Date: 2024-12-19 11:51 am (UTC)I've been poking at this thought for the last couple of days. The only other phrase I've come up with is layers, which I think I've seen in some older quilt books.
... and then I thought to go check. None of my (very small collection of) quilting books uses the phrase sandwiching. The best I found was 'layering your quilt' although most didn't have a phrase at all other than talking about assembling.
ETA: I didn't check the dates on all of the books, but this includes books from the 1980s and 1990s
no subject
Date: 2024-12-20 02:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-21 07:16 am (UTC)I've definitely heard other people use it, probably multiple, so it is in use in Australia by some quilters. Maybe it is a newer term than the books I have?
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Date: 2025-02-18 09:02 am (UTC)Can't find reference now, but I'm into 17th century history, and I'm pretty sure they often used several thin 'mattresses' rather than one thick one.
some were basically a sandwich of wool between two layers of fabric and crudely quilted.
That's why 'The Princess and the Pea' had so many mattresses.
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Date: 2025-03-05 11:20 pm (UTC)