Applique and Quilted Coverlet c. 1938

This Applique and Quilted Coverlet was made by Manuel G. Runyan, though we don't know exactly when. Just imagine the hours spent with needle and thread, carefully stitching each piece into place. I love the muted colors – soft browns, greens, and creams – they create such a soothing, comforting feel. The textures are so rich, you can almost feel the soft quilting under your fingertips. Look at how the stitches create these swirling patterns, like ripples in water, surrounding these big brown and green shapes. I wonder if Runyan was thinking about nature. Maybe leaves and flowers, or just the simple joy of creating something beautiful by hand. Quilts have always been such a powerful form of expression, especially for women who might not have had other outlets for their creativity. It makes me think about the quilts of Gee’s Bend, where generations of African American women transformed scraps of fabric into these amazing, improvisational works of art. Artists are always talking to each other across time and space, inspiring each other to make something new.