DOUBLETS & BANNERS - 1500's

In 1589 The Tailors Pattern Book by Juan de Alcega was published for the secrets of the tailor trade.  In his instructions for doublets for both men and women he notes that if the item is to be quilted “cut up to three extra finger breadths” than is needed if not quilted (pg. 22 – 23).  He also includes instructions on how to make a patchwork banner (pg. 54 – 55). I personally found this book very interesting for the historical context as well as the directions.

This book has been reprinted and is available.  I bought a copy at an SCA event.

Source: De Alcega, Juan. The Tailor's Pattern Book. 1589.  

QUILTED SHOE - approx. 700 AD

Another item, though not European, does remind us that textiles were recycled until nothing usable was left, because any fabric was too precious to waste.  According to Liddell and Watanabe, and also Rice a quilted shoe was found in a rubbish heap along the Silk Road.  It is dated approximately 700 A.D.  The shoe was patched with leather and because of the quilting design layout, it was originally something else. The quilting pattern on this shoe is sometimes called Baptist Fan now, and is a common modern quilting design. Obviously, the quilting design is not so modern after all.

Sources: 

            Liddell, Jill, and Yuko Watanabe. Japanese Quilts. E. P. Dutton, 1988.

Rice, Martha. Historical Quilting. Ipsley House, 2002.