[f. QUILT v.1]
1. The action of padding, sewing together, etc.
1611. Florio, Abborracciaménto, a stuffing, or quilting.
1776. Falconer, Dict. Marine, Quilting,… the operation of weaving a sort of coat, or texture, formed of the strands of rope, about the outside of any vessel, to contain water.
2. a. Quilted material; quilted work. b. Material for making a quilt. c. A kind of cloth with a diagonal pattern suggestive of the appearance of an ordinary quilt.
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 236. The next room has such a bed but that is fine Indian quilting.
1718. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess Mar, 10 March. Fine Indian quilting, embroidered with gold.
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 244. Quilting from Cortona warm and tough.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Quilting, a kind of coating formed of sinnet, strands of rope, &c., outside any vessel containing water.
3. dial. and U.S. A quilting-party.
1819. Anderson, Cumbld. Ball., 108. Now, lasses: aw thrang at our quiltin.
1890. Hosmer, Anglo-Sax. Freedom, 279. ‘Zekle’ squired ‘Huldy’ as of yore, to the singing-school or apple-paring, to quilting or sugaring-off.
4. attrib. as quilting-needle, -seam; quilting-bee, -feast, -frolic, -party, (U.S.) a gathering of girls held for the purpose of making a quilt, and serving as an occasion for enjoyment; quilting-cotton, raw cotton prepared for stuffing quilts; quilting frame, a frame on which a counterpane is stretched during the process of quilting.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, I. 54. She gives what is there called a ‘QUILTING FROLICK.’
a. 1859. W. Irving, Knickerb., VII. ii. (1900), 255. Now … were instituted ‘quilting bees,’… and other rural assemblages.
1879. H. George, Progr. & Pov., IV. ii. (1881), 214. Husking bees, and apple parings, and quilting parties.
