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Quilts were the most colorful bed coverings of the 19th century and were valued for their color and quilting designs as well as for the warmth they provided. A quilt is made of three layers of cloth - a top and a backing enclose a filling of cotton or wool batting. The three are sewn together in running stitches, often in elaborate patterns. Documented 19th century pieced quilts, like this "rising star" example, indicate the number of patterns doubled between 1825 and 1850. Today there are more than 4000 patterns, twenty times more than in 1850.

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