Medieval Ages Original Coat of Arms Design on Quilt

For this group project, we created a Medieval Ages-themed quilt with individual original coat of arms designs. This was meant to showcase what a coat of arms might have looked like during this era, representing families with the different symbols found on the coat of arms. The quilt added a creative component to the project, as an everyday relatable item that can be found in any household. I used white cotton for the two layers of fabric, and a thin layer of batting for the stuffing. To maintain historical accuracy, I embroidered my whole design onto the fabric. The actual coat of arms was created through extensive research to determine the popular symbols (i.e. charges) and accurate colour schemes. Additionally, inspiration was taken from the Tristan quilt created in the 14th century, influencing factors such as embroidery style. I used a simple backstitch for the entire design - as it was an easy and common type of stitching - to fulfill the purposes of this project. My section of the quilt was combined with three other group members to create the whole product, with each of us having created our own individual coat of arms design. My design consists of an embroidered green cross, blue star, and black “bend” heraldic charge. The cross emulates the popularity of Christianity during this time, and the star represents honour. Overall, I hoped to capture an image of culture and daily life from this age, adding a personal touch to the project through my design.

Joleen Awad