<p>So we finally went dorm room shopping today in hopes of buying comforters and much of the other related paraphernalia. We found lots of nice boys’ comforters out there but none that my daughter liked. All of the patterns that she liked were quilts that looked kind of patchworkish. Having never bought a quilt before, I’m not quite sure how that works … do you buy a blanket to put underneath? A comforter? A comforter with a duvet cover? A quilt by itself doesn’t seem very warm…
Feeling a bit out of the loop here … any help on how best to use a quilt (is it used like a bedspread?) would be appreciated!</p>
<p>twinmom:</p>
<p>I sent you a PM.</p>
<p>aren’t quilts mostly for "show’?</p>
<p>You could start light, and order something sent to D later to suppliment what you are getting now</p>
<p>My first year I bought one of those patchwork-ish quilts, and it was NOT warm enough for me in the winter… and I started to miss my fluffy comforter from home. In January/February I actually had my mom mail me some velour blanket to put under my quilt… second year I just scrapped it and got a down comforter with a duvet – much more comfortable, much warmer, etc. There’s definitely patchwork quilt looking duvet covers out on the market.</p>
<p>Citygirlsmom: I thought they were for show too, until today. Now I’m just not sure. We went to about five stores including Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and JCPenny. They are showing more quilts than comforters this year. Strange!</p>
<p>My daughter has always had a comforter at home, so she took one to school last year. This year she has decided she would rather have a quilt, but will have a warm blanket underneath. Most of her friends have quilts, but they are also at schools in the south. I think she decided on the quilt as her comforter was a solid color and she wanted something that stood out a bit more. I think her new dorm will not be too cold or too hot, so I am guessing a quilt will work out fine.</p>
<p>My children have layers of mom-made quilts, and when it’s really cold, they add a light polar-fleece blanket too. On our bed, my H and I have a lightweight quilt and I have a light blanket on top on my side too. When I make a quilt I expect it to receive daily use as the top covering of the bed. My son has two quilts: one is wool and the other cotton; my D has three, one cotton, one velvet with a wool lining, and a flannel. </p>
<p>Some quilts need gentle care when washing. Check the care labels.</p>
<p>Quilt here as well. For sons and daughters. But we have always had quilts, so it was not anything new for them. For my kiddos that spend their winters deep in snow they have a down comforter placed inside a duvet cover with the quilt on top. They discard the top sheet if they are using the duvet inconjunction with the quilt. As it warms up they replace the duvet/down comforter with the top sheet and a cotton blanket.</p>
<p>DD’s quilt at school now is a “surfside” pattern by nautica. Not your typical “patchwork” quilt. Material is the same as that which makes “board shorts”. All deep navy, reds and tans. Other daughter’s resembles a bandana, hence the pattern name “bandana”. She lives on a horse ranch (equine breeding research facility) so it fits in! Son’s quilt is muted with greens, browns and some plaid. All are darker in color so they don’t show dirt or stains easily. All are machine wash and have held up well. Oldest son has a tartan plaid, his the darkest of all.</p>
<p>But as another poster has stated, they bring color to a somewhat drab dorm room. </p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>My bedquilts at home are all machine-pieced, machine quilted for durability. Wallquilts are hand-pieced and hand-quilted.</p>
<p>The new trend that I’ve seen are t-shirt quilts. They are bright, cheerful and a way to recognize the student’s old life back home w/o bragging or being the kid in college wearing a hs letter jacket. They are heavy and thus quite warm even up North. </p>
<p>My daughter will be bringing her 30-shirt quilt to school for her bed. It has shirts from all the activities she did in school. It is def. machine washable as the cotton for the back was preshrunk and the t’s had been worn and washed multiple times. A twin bed really doesn’t need 30 shirts but she will have a lot of overhang on the sides (hits the floor as would a dust ruffle. A side benefit to that is that it hides whatever they are storing underneath the bed. There are tshirt quilt makers advvertising on the web, but I would call your local quilt shop and ask if they can recommend someone. That way you don’t have to worry about shipping.</p>
<p>Warning to commercial quilts: Most of the quilts you see at L&T, BB&B, etc are made overseas in the Pacific Rim. They are made poorly and may not hold up over time. Look at the stitching before you buy.</p>
<p>If you’d like something really beautiful and wonderfully made, plus paying workers a fair wage, take a look at these:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.fairtradequilts.com/[/url]”>http://www.fairtradequilts.com/</a></p>
<p>We have one on our bed, and it’s just gorgeous, and is very well made, too.</p>
<p>Garland, this organization sounds terrific & these quilts are beautiful. From the website:</p>
<p>Fair Trade is one of the fastest growing social development models in the world today with the sale of Fairly Traded goods nearly doubling each year!</p>
<p>Fair Trade Quilts and Crafts operates under the criteria of the Fair Trade Federation: </p>
<ul>
<li>Producers are paid a fair wage or price, generally 35 to 50% more than they would receive within the local market.
<ul>
<li> We only deal with partners which engage in ethical business practices and pay producers fairly. </li>
<li> We build long-term trade relationships, pay producers on a timely basis, and provide advance payments to allow them to purchase materials. </li>
<li> We support groups that maintain healthy, safe, working conditions, and engage in environmentally sustainable practices.<br></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>“Fair Trade empowers third world crafters to build a better life for their families and communities!”</p>
<p>Those are lovely textiles. I love those Guatemalan round tablecloths!
However, for something that can benefit our own people living in poverty in the US, I would recommend David Appalachian Crafts or Berea College etc. There are many cooperatives in Appalachia that sell gorgeous quilts made in the heart of Eastern KY, WV, TN. The Amish coops sell quilts online as well. Quilting is truly an American art form much more so than other textiles. When buying a quilt, I personally think this is the one time to buy American.</p>
<p>Off my soapbox now! :)</p>
<p>I buy old quilts off EBay. Some are very cheap, especially the ones that show some wear. I always feel sad when it’s obvious someone is selling off their grandmother’s quilts. Of course, as with anything else on EBay, it’s buyer beware.</p>
<p>Motherdear: that sounds like a really worthy source of quality crafts, too. I don’t like to make distinctions on who “needs” support more; certainly not by accident of nationality. Poverty is poverty, and much third world poverty can be connected to those of us who live in well-off countries. I think all craftworkers need to be supported so they can make a fair living off their work. Do you have any websites for the Appalachian crafts I could look at? Thanks!</p>
<p>son in NC college never used the very thin light down quilt we sent for his climate…it was real nice too…found it in the closet when he moved out never removed from its box. lofted beds by the way are up there in the heat zone in a warm room. He used a LL Bean quilt instead. For beds that are down on the floor and not lofted, buy a coverlet top or a comforter that won’t be fussy if you have three people sitting on it, eating popcorn and spilling coffee etc.</p>
<p>garland</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.davidappalachiancrafts.com/[/url]”>http://www.davidappalachiancrafts.com/</a>
a variety of App. handicrafts</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.quiltart.com/lancaster.html[/url]”>http://www.quiltart.com/lancaster.html</a>
This is a list of lots of quilt shops in the greater Lancaster, PA area. Some quilt shops just sell fabric, some sell finished quilts.</p>
<p>To me it’s another outsourcing issue. Sending tech jobs to India thus reducing the need for the same positions in the US is more prevalent of a problem than buying a quilt from a third-world country. Most of our clothes are manufactured overseas but at least let our natives benefit from a true American handicraft. A couple of years ago, the Smithsonian got in major hot water for selling foreign-made quilts. This problem was rectified and they now purchase US made quilts to be sold in the gift shops.</p>
<p>I agree that outsourcing is a troubling issue–but till we stop buying the vast majority of our clothes and other goods from overseas sweatshops (where were your shoes made?), I can’t see targetting craftwork co-ops in South America, especially when helping people there be self-sufficient would seem to allay the need to emigrate for better jobs elsewhere (eg, here.) Also, I don’t think that buying traditional items is exactly outsourcing–Guatemalan patterned quilts should come from, um, Guatemala.</p>
<p>I so agree. Guatemalan patterns should be bought from sources in Guatemala and US patchwork should be bought from US sources.</p>
<p>I think it’s a shame that clothes are made all over the world to the detriment of our own textile workers. I just did a quick inventory of what I’m wearing. Shorts and shirt have Made in the USA labels. Shoes in the DomRep. This actually surprises me. Based on what I keep reading in the paper, I assumed what I have on was made overseas but I guess not.</p>
<p>The textile workers (especially for handcrafted items) in Central/South America tend to be women and the illegals coming into this country are men.</p>
<p>I think we’re basically on the same page :). These women may be supporting families so that members don’t have to emigrate for subsistence. For factory made clothes, I support those coming from any place that has labor protections in place, though overall I favor buying local.</p>
<p>And I should definitely stop outsourcing this thread! Sorry, OP.</p>
<p>No problem. I was enjoying the conversation and links!</p>