Quilts and coverlets are sometimes confused since both were made to cover the bed.
A quilt is made of distinct layers- the top which may be pieced or appliqued, the inner lining, and the backing.
When clothing was worn out, bits & pieces that were still good were pieced together to make a quilt top. The results sometimes were very beautiful. The three layers are were stitched together with small tight stitches (usually in a pattern also). The result is a warm covering for the bed and a new life for the fabric scraps.
A coverlet is a bed covering woven on a loom using the sturdiest and warmest fibers available- usually cotton, undyed, for the warp and wool, linen or cotton for the weft (the thread running horizontally on the loom.
The dyes most used were indigo for the blues and madder or cochineal for the reds.
