A quilt is simply a sandwich of three components; the top, the batting and the backing.
- The top is the key feature of the quilt and comprises of one or more pieces of material all assembled into one piece to form the chosen design.
- The middle is called the batting and comprises a fibrous wadding that gives the quilt its thermal qualities and padded look.
- The backing is a generally a single piece of material that forms the bottom side of the sandwich.
- The three layers are usually sewn together to form the quilt. A sewing technique called quilting can be used to join the three layers and add decorative effect. Alternatively, periodic ties or knotting can be used.
- The quilt edge is finished with a binding.
- Quilts are invariably unique and are given a name.