Lecture | Snug as a Bug: American Embroidered Bed Rugs
Attributed to Jerusha Foote Johnson, Bed Rug, 1782, wool, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Bayou Bend Collection, Museum purchase funded by the Gloria Garic Anderson Endowment Fund for Accessions.
Attributed to Jerusha Foote Johnson, Bed Rug (detail), 1782, wool, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Bayou Bend Collection, Museum purchase funded by the Gloria Garic Anderson Endowment Fund for Accessions.
Lucy Williams Lathrop, Bed Rug, 1804, wool, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Bayou Bend Collection, Museum purchase funded by the Theta Charity Antiques Show.
Lucy Williams Lathrop, Bed Rug (detail), 1804, wool, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Bayou Bend Collection, Museum purchase funded by the Theta Charity Antiques Show.
November 4, 2023
In colonial America, bed rugs were the most common type of bed covering. Although the majority of bed rugs were professionally woven and were imported from England, some women chose to make their own. In New England, women embroidered their bed rugs.
This lecture explores the designs, makers, domestic economy, and politics expressed in these beautiful woolen bed covers. New London County, Connecticut, which produced more than half of all American embroidered bed rugs, is the origin of two bed rugs recently acquired by Bayou Bend.
A Q&A follows the lecture. Before and after the program, guests are invited to view the Connecticut bed rugs.
Admission | Free
Two Ways to Participate
- In Person To reserve a seat, email bayoubend@mfah.org or call 713.639.7762.
- Online Register to attend via Zoom.
About the Speaker
Lynne Zacek Bassett is a freelance curator specializing in New England’s historic fashion and textiles. Her 2022 exhibition New London County Quilts & Bed Covers, 1750–1820 at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, brought together several groups of regional textiles. Quilted petticoats from the mid-18th century and embroidered bed rugs from the 18th to early 19th century revealed how women used textiles as expressions of family, regional identity, and politics.
This lecture series is generously endowed by Carol and Les Ballard.