In the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in The American Wing. See many more detailed photos here. Cotton/Linen embroidered with red wool. Size is 76" x 74" with a scalloped border. Intensely embroidered all over! The design was stamped on the fabric in England but probably embroidered in the New World. The panel descended in the Clapp family, members of which emigrated from England to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1680. It's amazing this needlework survived isn't it? Enjoy!
7 comments:
My goodness, this fabric looks amazing when you consider its age. I wonder how many hours it took to embroider it? My grandmother used to embroider her pillow cases with her own designs. Then she tatted lace to trim them. This work was done during the wintertime, when she had more time. I so admire those who create beauty with a needle and thread.
I think I'll go burn all my embroidery thread.
Pam == Your grandmother must have had pleasant dreams with her head on those lovely pillow cases. I never understood how anyone could do tatting! Machine embroidery doesn't come close to handwork, does it? I'm so glad those original settlers of Virginia and their heirs preserved this wonderful example of early American handwork. xo, Rosemary
Mama Pea -- Don't do that! Just be proud you have the skills to do something like this if you had the pattern, the fabric, and the wool. I'm sure you could master a square and frame it. Now if you had to weave the fabric, shear the sheep, spin and dye the wool, that's another story. xo, Rosemary
Pam -- Oops! Charleston, South Carolina not Virginia. xo, Rosemary
Rosemary, the link you gave to the Met took me to Johns Hopkins website!
Lisa D. -- That is so strange. I have no idea how that happened. Anyway, I fixed the link in the post so it goes to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Enjoy the article and photos.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/13657
xo, Rosemary
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