Exhibition organizer Susan Webb displays one of the colorful coverlets that will be included in Harmony Museum's quilt and coverlet exhibition Monday through April 13.

HARMONY — The Harmony Museum will host a colorful exhibition of pre-Civil War coverlets and quilts from 1 to 4 p.m. April 1 to 13 in Stewart Hall, 218 Mercer St.

More than 60 coverlets and quilts will be on display.

The exhibition brings together, for the first time, quilts and woven coverlets from private collections and three museums: the National Museum of the American Coverlet in Bedford, the McCarl Coverlet Gallery at St. Vincent College in Latrobe and the Harmony Museum.

Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission to Harmony Museum at $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for youths.

Coverlet weaving thrived in Western Pennsylvania for several decades in the mid-1800s, according to Rodney Gasch, Historic Harmony president. Before that time, settlers couldn't afford a professionally woven bed cover.

Around the time of the Civil War, machines started making woven coverlets in the United States, and hand weavers could no longer compete.

For example, Adam Hoerr wove coverlets in Harmony from 1841 to 1856. He was a skilled weaver who emigrated from Germany and became a charter member of the Harmony Borough Council, but his weaving business faltered as the Civil War approached.

The Harmony Museum has several Hoerr coverlets in its collection.

“We are fortunate that many of these colorful coverlets still survive,” said Susan Webb, Historic Harmony board member and organizer of the exhibition. “The natural dyes in these coverlets remain vibrant, even after 175 years, and the fact that they survived at all is a sign of how people cherished these family heirlooms across generations.”

The exhibition includes presentations from two nationally known coverlet experts.

At 10 a.m. April 6, there will be a presentation on the history of coverlet weaving by Melinda Zongor from the National Museum of the American Coverlet. At 11 a.m., attendees who have brought a coverlet from home can have Zongor evaluate the fabric's structure, dyes and age.

Zongor's book, “Coverlets and the Spirit of America,” which gives the history of weaving and features full-page color illustrations, will also be on display.

At 10 a.m. April 13, Lauren Churilla, curator of the McCarl Collection at St. Vincent College, will speak about the weavers of Western Pennsylvania. Attendees can again have their personal coverlets evaluated.

Admission to the Saturday programs is $5.

Museum members and children, ages 5 and younger, are admitted free.

A wine and cheese reception and exhibition preview is available to Harmony Museum members and guests from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday.