Quilts are usually smaller than comforters and so usually need a dust ruffle and shams if used as a top of the bed covering. Many times, because of their lightweight nature, quilts are used as bedcoverings in the summer, much like coverlets. Quilts are even used as wall hangings to show off the hand work involved in creating a beautiful quilt. Sateen describes a kind of weave in a fabric which makes for a smoother finish than tradition weaves. Sateen fabric on a comforter creates a shiny finish, while sheets with a sateen weave are silky smooth.
Shams are decorative pillow covers.
Usually ruffled or flanged, shams are used as extra pillows on beds to hide the bed pillows and coordinate with the outer bed covering, like a bedspread or comforter. Shams come in three sizes, standard, king, and Euro. With each higher thread count, the weave of the sheet is tighter, making the sheet more smooth and soft. A thread count of 180 is the minimum most consumers look for in a comfortable sheet. Moving up to a 200 count sheet is usually not that much more costly and is really a softer sheet.