A coverlet is a lightweight woven bedcover that is mostly used as a decorative outer layer. Coverlets feature a variety of attractive patterns and are made from common fabrics like cotton, linen, and wool. These differ from quilts in both their construction and design. While a quilt is made with multiple layers of pre-existing fabric, a coverlet is woven directly on a loom, sometimes in two panels and then stitched together down a middle seam. The pattern is woven directly into the construction of the coverlet.

In the southern states, coverlets were very popular during the early 1800s through the turn of the 20th century. Several individuals served as professional weavers for their local communities or would travel across the region as itinerant weavers. Wealthier families or those who did not have their own household loom would commission professional weavers to produce coverlets and other textiles. Often times, the traveling weaver would be provided room and board in exchange for their services.

Documentation on the creation and provenance of coverlets is rare. Finding inscriptions helps provide insight into the history of these textile heirlooms and their place in rural early American life. The production of handmade coverlets declined around the beginning of the 20th century as machine-made textiles became more available and affordable. However, many communities in Appalachia strive to keep this tradition alive, as textiles like coverlets and quilts are woven into family identity.