Coverlet 1845

This blue and white coverlet was woven in 1845 by Sarah Ann Riddell. Riddell was working during the rise of industrialization, which provided both opportunity and challenges for women. While factories mass-produced textiles, women like Riddell preserved traditional crafts within their homes. The coverlet is woven with her name, and the year it was completed. This act of signing transforms the functional textile into an assertion of identity and skill. Its intricate patterns evoke a sense of comfort and domesticity, yet, at the same time, it represents Riddell’s active participation in the economic landscape of her time. We can see the tension between the collective nature of women’s work and individual expression as Riddell used her craft to make a personal, lasting mark. This piece beautifully illustrates how domestic objects can tell powerful stories about gender, labor, and identity.