KARACHI: Blankets have somewhat sidelined quilts. Still there are many out there who cannot get used to blankets and feel comfortable using quilts during winter. They insist that a blanket can never be as warm as a quilt.

But practical people argue that it is far easier to clean blankets as they can be dry-cleaned. As for quilts, well, the process can be compared to surgery! In fact, it is better to get a new quilt instead of washing it. You cannot wash a quilt as the stuffing inside cannot take it. The entire quilt needs to be opened up and the stuffing, which is usually cotton wool, has to be cleaned with the cover washed separately following which everything has to be stitched up all over again.

Some people make separate covers for quilts, like duvet covers, to prevent the quilt itself from gathering dust. This way they only need to wash the covering.

“Pakistan grows [some of] the world’s best cotton. There is no shortage of cotton here so it is available at a reasonable cost as well,” says Mohammad Anwer, a quilt shop owner. Apart from selling quilts, he also has big fat cotton pillows and bolster cushions.

The quilt makers here keep a variety of cotton to use for stuffing quilts. Of these, the desi/asli cotton happens to be the most popular. It is available for Rs250 per kilogramme. These days, quilt shops also have fibreglass wool (for Rs200/kg) and polyester fibre (Rs125/kg) along with several other stuffing choices. “But since cotton is natural, it is usually the first choice,” Anwer points out.

The process begins in a cotton gin or machine where the fibres can be separated and cleaned. After weighing the cotton wool, the already stitched from three sides covers are filled with it following which the fourth side is also sealed.

Then comes the beating. The quilt is laid on a flat surface and a stick is used to beat it in order to settle the stuffing inside. Once it is even, the quilting stitches help everything stay in place.

Abdul Sattar has been making quilts for 30 years now. Today he is busy putting the stitches on a maroon velvet quilt. He uses a sturdy, long needle to do so. “The material for this quilt was given to us. So not everyone buys our readymade quilts,” he says as he makes the measured stitches.

Those who have quilts made on order can also decide on how much cotton they want stuffed in their quilts. “It is usually between three and five kilograms,” says Sattar. “It can also be single-bed or double-bed size,” he adds.

Published in Dawn January 1st, 2017