means The craft of sewing together layers of fabric—usually a decorative top, a soft inner filling, and a backing—with rows of stitches to make a padded textile like a blanket or coverlet.

from From "quilt," which entered English in the 13th century via Old French "cuilte," from Latin "culcita" meaning a stuffed mattress, sack, or cushion. So before quilts warmed beds, they essentially were beds—the same Latin root padding both. The "-ing" simply names the act of making one, and the craft itself, layering and stitching for warmth, is far older than the English word.