Blankets vs Coverlets Question.

[mnreb]

I have virgin wool blankets (white), a patch quilt style, and a patchwork rug (heavy as heck). I am curious why all of the demand for a coverlet? Am I missing something? I know that blankets are heavier and warmer than a coverlet, so what is the attraction? I am looking at purchasing one now, but would like to get some feedback as to the attraction. Maybe it is just personal choice.
Thanks in advance.
Bill Feuchtenberger
"It Do"

[TheQM]

I am curious why all of the demand for a coverlet? Bill Feuchtenberger
"It Do"

I have a better question, exactly what is a coverlet?

[mnreb]

A woven coverlet or coverlid is a type of bed covering with a woven design in colored wool yarn on a background of natural linen or cotton. Coverlets were woven in almost every community in the United States from the colonial era until the late 19th century.[1]

Bill Feuchtenberger
"It Do"

[tompritchett]

Coverlets were woven in almost every community in the United States from the colonial era until the late 19th century.[1]

I saw the [1] indicating either a footnote or reference to a specific source but nothing else. Therefore I have two questions: 1) was this sentence a quote from another source and 2) was your post complete. Please note that these questions are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

[hanktrent]

I think it's because coverlets were fairly common in the 19th century, and people just want something to represent one type of possible blankets/coverings from home (or from somebody's home, if you're a thieving yankee. ). Personally, I think they're stiff, heavy, not very warm, and the overshot ones look like bad op art from the 1960s. But if you're portraying somebody in the 1860s, you just need to learn to like them. I don't know what types of soldiers were most apt to carry them instead of blankets, but they were very common in homes.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[FloridaConfederate]

I carry a smaller one with my blanket...it is great for a host of things..sleeping on, under, wrapped around the shoulders like a cape for warmth and rolled into a dandy pillow. If I need to make shelter out of the blanket I still have something to sleep with.

Mine is a copy of an 1845 orginial (actually I have red one and a blue one same pattern) I bought at a mill in NC.

Chris Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[Spinster]

Personally, I think they're stiff, heavy, not very warm, and the overshot ones look like bad op art from the 1960s.
Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

Yep. Makes my head hurt to weave overshot. Coverlets, coverlids, kivverlids, seem to be the words used for the dressy, pretty, top covering of the bed--the item that shows off the ability of the maker to do decorative work. At best, they are 'summer weight'--at worst (at least for your purposes), they do not even contain wool, but all linen with a decorative weaving pattern.

For warmth, a soldier needs a 5 pound wool blanket--but there were many forms of 'make do'. This is simply one of them.

[Phil]

Do "chastise" mean what I think it do?

[mnreb]

"It Do"
I was wondering if anyone would ever catch on.

Bill Feuchtenberger
"It Do"

[mnreb]

I saw the [1] indicating either a footnote or reference to a specific source but nothing else. Therefore I have two questions: 1) was this sentence a quote from another source and 2) was your post complete. Please note that these questions are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

My fault. I did not notice that the {1} was still there when I copied it. I was just attemping to answer the previous question. Yes my post was complete. Still learning how everything works.
Sincerely,
Bill Feuchtenberger
"It Do"