Matelasse Bedspread

Matelasse bedspread woven in relief on a jacquard loom rather than stitched — a single layer of 100% combed long-staple cotton at 340 gsm, no filling, no batting, no quilting stitch. Our matelasse bedspread has the raised pattern lifted from two sets of warp threads at different tensions, so there is nothing to burst, clump or come apart.

Matelasse looks quilted and is not

Matelasse looks quilted and is not, and that distinction is the reason to buy it. On a quilt the pattern is stitching that holds a filling in place: puncture the stitching or wash it hard enough and the filling moves. Matelasse has no filling and no quilting. The raised pattern is woven into the cloth on a jacquard loom, using two sets of warp threads at different tensions so the surface lifts into relief as it comes off the loom.

Why matelasse bedspreads last decades

What that buys you is a piece with nothing to go wrong. No seams under tension, no batting to clump, no stitching to burst at a corner. Matelasse bedspreads are the ones that turn up in second-hand shops from the 1940s still in usable condition, and the construction is why.

Specifications

• Fibre: 100% combed long-staple cotton
• Weight: 340 gsm
• Construction: Jacquard-woven relief, no filling
• Pattern: Small-scale geometric relief (texture from across the room, pattern up close)
• Colours: Alabaster, Bone, Fog Grey, Sage
• Bedspread drop: 25 in. (floor-length)
• Coverlet drop: 15 in. (layering over a duvet)
• Twin: 81 × 110 in. (bedspread) / 70 × 92 in. (coverlet)
• Full: 96 × 112 in.
• Queen: 102 × 118 in.
• King: 120 × 118 in.

Small-scale relief pattern — texture from across the room

Woven in 100% combed long-staple cotton at 340 gsm in a small-scale geometric relief, which reads as texture from across the room and as pattern up close — the safest way to add interest to a bed without committing to a print you will tire of. Available in Alabaster, Bone, Fog Grey and Sage.

Two proportions — bedspread or coverlet drop

Cut with a 25-inch drop as a floor-length bedspread — Queen 102 × 118 in., King 120 × 118 in., Full 96 × 112 in. — or in coverlet proportions with a 15-inch drop for layering over a duvet. Say which you want at checkout; the cloth is identical.

Year-round because it is a single woven layer

Because it is a single woven layer with no filling, it works across the year in a way a filled piece cannot. On its own in summer it is exactly enough. In winter it holds a duvet in place and stops the bed reading as a bare duvet cover.

Matelasse bedspread size guide

How to care for your matelasse bedspread

• Wash cold on a gentle cycle
• Tumble low — hot dryer sets the relief flatter over time
• Line dry where possible — texture stays as it left the loom
• Iron warm on the reverse only if pressed finish desired (avoids crushing relief)
• Skip fabric softener — coats jacquard relief

Frequently asked questions

Is a matelasse bedspread the same as a quilt?

No — matelasse is jacquard-woven relief with no filling. A quilt is three layers stitched through. Matelasse has nothing to burst or clump.

Does matelasse fade or flatten with washing?

Not with cold wash + low dryer. The one thing to avoid is repeated hot-dryer cycles, which flatten the relief over years. Line drying keeps it as it left the loom.

What’s the difference between matelasse bedspread and matelasse coverlet?

Same cloth. Bedspread has 25 in. drop (floor-length); coverlet has 15 in. drop (above the base, for layering).

Can I sleep under a matelasse bedspread alone?

Yes in summer — 340 gsm single woven layer is a warm-weather weight. In winter layer it over a duvet.

Complete the bed

Layer with cotton bed sheets, coordinated pillowcases and a duvet cover underneath. For related pieces, see our Cotton Bedspread.