Come visit us! We are open Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm.

  • The McCarl Coverlet Gallery is a non-profit cultural organization that preserves the history of weaving & folk traditions in the Northeastern United States.

  • Part of Saint Vincent College, the Gallery offers students hands-on experience with art collections, digital humanities, and public history.

  • The Gallery is home to over 860 handwoven coverlets from the 19th century, including both "geometric" and "figured & fancy" designs.

  • Our changing exhibits use coverlets as a window to explore the cultural & material history of early America. They are free and open to the public.

What is a coverlet?

The word “coverlet” comes from French couvre-lit, which literally just means “cover-bed.” But to textile historians, a coverlet is specifically a decorative handwoven bed covering. Coverlets are not the same as quilts, which are sewn together from fabric pieces rather than woven on a loom.

American coverlet weaving reached its peak in popularity from about 1830-1860. Our oldest dated coverlet in the McCarl Collection was made in 1809, and we also have more recent examples made in Appalachia in the twentieth century.

Learn more

Where were coverlets made?

Browse the map below to explore the locations where figured & fancy coverlets were woven throughout the 19th century. Compiled from various sources, it is primarily based on the Anderson/Hawthorne textile database. The map is a work in progress, and it will continue to be updated with corrections and additions. Click HERE to view it fullscreen.

Join the mailing list