Lancaster county, Pennsylvania Quilt Circa 1880 In velvet and silk, with a burgundy and black background, decorated with geometric motifs formed by the superimposition of various fabrics. Labelled on the back "Antique Quilts, Shelly Zegart, Louisville, Kentucky, Lancaster PA, circa 1880" 180 x 150 cm Quilting consists of sewing several layers of various fabrics together to create a single piece. A quilt is made up of three layers: a top layer made by joining different fabrics together to create a pattern, a middle layer that gives the quilt its warmth, and a bottom layer that is usually invisible and covers the reverse side of the quilt. The technique was originally invented to make warm, thick bed linen from old scraps of fabric. Over time, quilts have become both aesthetic and practical objects, handed down from generation to generation like heirlooms. Lancaster's handmade quilts are often the result of a collective effort involving several women from the Amish and Mennonite communities. It is customary to make a quilt for special occasions such as a wedding or a birth.