DescriptionHand-woven ,wool-seamed down the middle. Red, blue, and white; patterned with trees, stars and birds pictured. Dated "1852." Civil War era. For an overshot coverlet, the ways usually consisted of a natural color linen thread and the weft was wool homespun in a color, or shades of one color. Later overshots were made with colored ways & wefts. Patterns could be combinations of stripes, squares, and diamonds. The overshot coverlet seamed through the middle and exact matching of the design was often disregarded. In the southern states it was believed that such a break in a straight line would deflect evil spirits and insure good luck for the user of the spread.
