A bedspread is a close relation to the coverlet
and is constructed similarly, but is designed to meet the floor.
This style adds a soft, ethereal romance to a bedroom and works
especially well in a period style home.
Coverlets
differ from quilts only slightly and sometimes not at all. Coverlets typically fall a couple of inches
below the mattress. Quilts contain a middle layer for
warmth, coverlets may not. The purely ornamental choice can be
as simple as two sheets of fabric stitched together, usually
consisting of a decorative face fabric and a plain reverse
fabric. Coverlets can be made loose, throw-style, semi-fitted,
or fitted. The side flaps are sewn together so that the coverlet
fits over the mattress like a cap. It is not designed for easy
bed making or for tossing and turning under.
A comforter looks much like a duvet, except that it is
decorative and all parts are integral. Its fill is more lofty
than that of a quilt and comes in a wide range of densities and
fiber contents. Comforters can be smooth, quilted, or shirred
(gathering). Quilting and shirring help ensure the fill stays
evenly distributed.
A duvet is a cotton, polyester, blended, or down feather
blanket that can be used in place of upper sheet and blanket. A
duvet cover is little more than a washable bag for the duvet. It
is composed of two fabric sides that are joined together by a
zipper, ties, or buttons. Placing a duvet at the foot of a bed
is a popular stylistic choice for those who feel the pattern is
too much of a good thing. On the other hand, those who opt for
dual, coordinating fabrics for the face and reverse sides are
rewarded with the opportunity to showcase both simultaneously if
they flip the top of their duvet. With a warm layer underneath,
a smaller duvet can serve as an extra comfort to the sleeper who
requires a bit more warmth.
A quilt is one of the most traditional bed coverings.
Before fabric was loomed in long sheets, frugal home sewers
pieced together scraps of worn clothing and kitchen textiles
into two sides of a blanket that sandwiched a warmth layer.
Today we use batting for this layer, though in centuries past it
could have been any insulating agent, from horsehair to grass.
Quilting is also a term for the designs created by threads as
they bind together the two fabric layers and the internal layer
of any bed covering. This means that quilting is not limited to
quilts: Duvets can be quilted, as can comforters.
Incidentally, matelasse is a special type
of fabric made in the French tradition with a jacquard loom
that gives a tufted look and can be made into comforters,
duvet covers, coverlets, and quilts. The term simply refers to
a cotton fabric with a raised design.