WOVEN TOGETHER
Highlighting Artistry, Functionality and Ingenuity of Indiana Coverlets
An iconic piece from early settler life in Indiana, the coverlet is a unique type of textile that blends together artistry, functionality and ingenuity.
More than 30 Jacquard coverlets in an array of vivid colors, mainstay materials and astounding patterns were featured along with the Hoosiers who created them in the Indiana State Museum’s 2024 Woven Together experience. The exhibit was fully created and produced by our in-house team.
Primarily used during the 19th century, coverlets are woven bedspreads that not only provided warmth and comfort but also served as a centerpiece of the home. The awe-inspiring examples in Woven Together showcased the complex work produced by the Jacquard loom. A precursor to early computing, the Jacquard loom used a series of cards punched with holes that corresponded to the geometric design of the coverlet. Visitors to the exhibit got a unique glimpse at this technology through the museum’s interactive flip-dot loom.
Beyond highlighting the beauty and practicality of coverlets, Woven Together also shared the stories of Indiana’s weavers, most of whom immigrated from Europe during the Industrial Revolution with hopes of revitalizing their trade in the United States. Visitors had the chance to step into the role of the weaver by creating their own coverlet design through a hands-on pattern blocks activity and feeling different samples of wool and cotton — the same fibers weavers used to make coverlets centuries ago.
The coverlets featured in Woven Together, along with dozens more, were newly acquired from the John and Janet Simmermaker Family Collection, one of the most respected coverlet collections in the country. With those additions, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites' collections now have examples of the work of every known Hoosier Jacquard coverlet maker. ◆
