Textiles - Overview
The 50,000 objects in the textile collections fall into two main categories: raw fibers, yarns, and fabrics, and machines, tools, and other textile technology. Shawls, coverlets, samplers, laces, linens, synthetics, and other fabrics are part of the first group, along with the 400 quilts in the National Quilt Collection. Some of the Museum's most popular artifacts, such as the Star-Spangled Banner and the gowns of the first ladies, have an obvious textile connection.
The machinery and tools include spinning wheels, sewing machines, thimbles, needlework tools, looms, and an invention that changed the course of American agriculture and society. A model of Eli Whitney's cotton gin, made by the inventor in the early 1800s, shows the workings of a machine that helped make cotton plantations profitable in the South and encouraged the spread of slavery.
"Textiles - Overview" showing 584 items.
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Knitted Mittens
- Description
- These mittens were knitted of blue and white homespun wools in the early 19th century. The shag knit used at the wrists is recorded in an American diary of 1803 as the "new Mode of Knitting." The knitted pattern throughout the mittens is a poem that starts at the wrist of one mitten, spirals to the top, and continues from the wrist to the top of the second. The "Xs" are part of the design and are used as line delimiters. The poem reads, "One thing you must not borrow nor never give awayXFor he who borrows trouble will have it every dayXBut if you have a plenty and more then you can bearXIt will not lighten yoursXXif others have a shareXYou must learn to be contented then will your trouble ceaseXAnd then you may be certain that you will live in peaceXFor a contented mind is a continual feast."
- The thumb of each mitten is adorned with the name "William Watson." A printer of cheap or penny papers named William Watson was active in London from about 1805 to 1830. Each of his publications contained a woodcut, a story, and a poem. The Library of Congress has only one example of his papers, but its poem is of comparable length, and of the same moralizing quality as the mittens' poem, offering a direction for further research.
- In No Idle Hands, The Social History of American Knitting (New York: Ballantine Books, 1988), Anne L. Macdonald pictures a single mitten patterned with half of the same poem. An undated newspaper clipping attributes it to Margaret Evans of New Hampshire, possibly 18th century. The thumb of the Evans mitten appears to say, "Son 4 U Mother" and "80." At the beginning of the poem of this pair of mittens, there are two initials or numbers, perhaps "OB" or "DB" or "08" or "80." Patterns for short inscriptions and dates in knitting were published from at least the late 18th century.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- early 19th century
- ID Number
- 1979.0980.01
- catalog number
- 1979.0980.01
- accession number
- 1979.0980
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Mary Ingersoll's Sampler
- Description
- Man in fawn-colored fall-front trousers, short blue jacket decorated with faceted gilt beads, and tall dark hat. On his arm, lady wearing long dress with wide white collar and blue bonnet tied with long bonnet-strings; she carries parasol and reticule and wears necklace or chain of gilt beads. To right of couple, blue-domed building (temple?) with tall columns on hill above pond, with two deer and flowering bush; to left of couple large tree and under it, sheep and dog. In each upper corner, bluebird under grapevine; children's names enclosed in panel outlined by wave band. Grapes on vines in upper corners worked by coiling purple thread and tacking down each coil in two or three places. Border on all four sides, straight vine bearing roses and rose buds. Silk embroidery thread on linen ground. STITCHES: cross, crosslet, chain, four-sided, French knot. THREAD COUNT: warp 28, weft 28/in.
- Inscriptions:
- "FAMILY RECORD
- Mr Levi Ingersoll was born Dec 26th 1775
Miss Sarah Hubbard was born Jan 2nd 1779
They were united in marriage Jan 31 1802
- THEIR DESCENDANTS
- Hannah Ingersoll was born Jan 30th 1803
Eliza Ingersoll was born Oct 30th 1804
Ann Ingersoll was born Nov 1st 1806
Henry H Ingersoll was born Feb 25th 1809
Charles Ingersoll was born Jan 23rd 1811
Jane Ingersoll was born July 1st 1815
Mary Ingersoll was born Sept 27th 1819 [last 2 numbers replaced or filled in later]
Sarah Ingersoll was born Feb 10th 1821 [last number replaced or filled in later]
- By Miss Mary Ingersoll in the 9th year of her age New York 1830" [number 9 replaced or filled in later]
- Background:
- Mary was born on September 27, 1819, to Levi and Sarah Hubbard Ingersoll in Pound Ridge, New York. She died unmarried on April 18, 1889.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1830
- associated dates
- 1990-03-26
- maker
- Ingersoll, Mary
- ID Number
- 1990.0146.01
- catalog number
- 1990.0146.01
- accession number
- 1990.0146
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Elizabeth Throckmorton's Sampler
- Description
- This sampler features a two story house with windows and two chimneys on a stepped hill with grazing sheep. The stepped hill can be found on samplers from Philadelphia, western Maryland and New Jersey. There is a center angel and two apple baskets are on either side above the inscription. The motif of an angel means a messenger of God and the apple baskets often represent fertility and wealth. There is a three-sided geometric border, with queen stitch strawberries and leaves. (a more difficult stitch) The sampler is stitched with silk embroidery thread on a linen ground with a thread count of warp 28, weft 28/in. The stitches used are cross, queen, satin, and straight.
- Elizabeth Throckmorton was born on October 18, 1795, in Monmouth County, New Jersey to Holmes (c.1759 –1821) and Susannah Forman (1762-1820) Throckmorton. Her father served in the American Revolution for three years. She married John Britton on November 18, 1813, and they had three children - John, Mary, and Catharine. Her husband John died c.1822-1823. She married Tobias Worrel on October 26, 1824, and they had a daughter Jane. According to the 1840 census they were then living in Des Moines, Iowa.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1804-1806
- maker
- Throckmorton, Elizabeth
- ID Number
- 1990.0477.01
- catalog number
- 1990.0477.01
- accession number
- 1990.0477
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Betsy Bucklin's Sampler
- Description
- Betsey’s sampler includes three distinguishing features of Rhode Island samplers; trumpeting angels with embroidered faces, queen stitch flowers, and a three-story house. Below the house, flanking flowers and birds is the verse:
- “While hof[s]tile foes
our coaf[s]ts Invade
in all the pomp of
war arrayd Ameri
cans be not dismayd
nor fear the f[s]word
or GUn
While Innocence is
all our pride and vir
tue is our only Guide
Women would f[s]corn
to be defyd if led by
WASHINGTON”
- This verse on Betsy’s sampler offers a rare opportunity to discover the political thinking of a young girl during the Revolutionary War. She is showing a brave female defiance of Britain and an unwavering faith in George Washington, the commander of the Continental Army. Betsy undoubtedly was influenced by her father who was a privateer during the Revolutionary War. At the bottom of the sampler, flanked by queen stitch flowers, is a cartouche with the inscription:
“Betf[s]y
Bucklin Her
Work Septe
mber
1781”br>
- It is not known who the author of the inscriptions is. The sampler is stitched with silk embroidery thread on a linen ground with a thread count of warp 25, weft 23/in. The stitches used are cross, crosslet, queen, rice, straight, fly, stem, tent, and gobelin.
- Betsy [Elizabeth] Bucklin was born on September 20, 1768, in Providence, Rhode Island to Capt. Daniel and Eliza Carpenter Bucklin. On November 11, 1792, Betsy married Samuel Eddy. They had three children - Martha, Jonathan, and Elizabeth. She died of consumption on October 27, 1799, in Providence, Rhode Island.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1781
- maker
- Bucklin, Betsy
- ID Number
- 2008.0159.01
- catalog number
- 2008.0159.01
- accession number
- 2008.0159
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Mary Eddy's Sampler
- Description
- The verse that Mary Eddy included on her sampler was written by an English poet named William Oland (1723-85) around 1763. It was probably selected by her teacher, and the verses were generally chosen to express the ideals to which young ladies should aspire to, according to her contemporary society.
- “The Contraf[s]t
Virtue alone has that to give,
Which makes it joy to die or live
But vice can only that supply
Which makes it pain to live or die.”
- The sampler is stitched with silk embroidery thread on a linen ground with a thread count of warp 27, weft 32/in. The stitches used are cross, crosslet, tent, Algerian eye, and stem.
- Mary Eddy was born on April 16, 1804, to Samuel and his second wife Martha Wheaton Eddy in Providence, Rhode Island. Samuel Eddy’s first wife was Betsy Bucklin. (See Betsy Bucklin’s sampler.) Mary married William Chase (1786-1875) as his second wife on March 15, 1854. They did not have any children.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1816
- maker
- Eddy, Mary
- ID Number
- 2008.0161.01
- catalog number
- 2008.0161.01
- accession number
- 2008.0161
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Rachel Breck's Sampler
- Description
- This sampler features an alphabet, numbers, flowers, baskets, birds, and trees all worked in cross stitch, while the background is completely filled in with long vertical stitches. The flower baskets symbolize friendship and love, and the birds on the trees would indicate her love of nature. The figure within the cartouche is balanced by a four-storied building, which may depict the school or academy that inspired the design. The sampler is stitched with silk embroidery thread on a linen ground with a thread count of 26/in warp, 24/in weft. The stitches used are cross, satin, chain, French knots, and straight. Rachel included the inscription:
Alas how transient all our earthly store
To-day we bloom tomorrow are no more
Rachel Breck / aged 11
- Rachel Breck also stitched a silk embroidery in 1810 entitled “Charity” at the Misses Patten School in Hartford, Connecticut.
- Rachel Breck was born July 22, 1792, to Joseph Hunt (1766-1801), a silversmith, and Abigail Kingsley (c1766-1846) Breck of Northampton, Massachusetts. In 1819 Rachel married George Hooker who was born 1798 to John and Sarah (Dwight) Hooker of Northampton. He went to Yale, class of 1814 and was a physician who resided in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. They had 8 children born between 1820 and 1833 and Rachel died in 1879.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1803
- maker
- Breck, Rachel
- ID Number
- 2011.0256.01
- catalog number
- 2011.0256.01
- accession number
- 2011.0256
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Hester Ann Posey's Sampler
- Description
- Below family record, pyramidal monument (memorial to deceased sister) flanked by rosebushes and butterflies, under weeping willow tree, on ground-line worked in "crinkled" silk. To left of monument, verse in square outline, all lettering black. Border of geometric flowering vine on all four sides. Silk embroidery thread on linen ground. STITCHES: cross, crosslet, satin, stem. THREAD COUNT: warp 28, weft 31/in.
- Inscriptions:
- "A Family Reccord
Nathaniel and Margaret Pof[s]ey
The Parent's of thof[s]e Children
SoPhia Maria Pof[s]ey born Oct 8th 1813
Fredrick Jerome Pof[s]ey born Feb 28 1815
Margaret Pof[s]ey born Dec 19th 1816
John Pittf[s] Pof[s]ey born Oct 12 1818
Mary Jane Pof[s]ey born Dec 3d 1820
Hester Ann Pof[s]ey born Dec 28 1822
Nathaniel Boliver Pof[s]ey born April 11 1827
Henry Clay Pof[s]ey born Aug 14 1829"
- To left of monument in square:
- "Weep not my frien
df[s]. af[s] you paff[ss] by.
af[s] you are now. f[s]o
once Waf[s] I. af[s] i
am now. So you
muf[s]t be. prepare
to meet me in
Eternity."
- Embroidered on the monument are the following words:
- "sacred
to The -
Memory of
Margaret Posey
Who died Feb 2
A.D. 1824 aged 8 YS
1 Month and 14 days
- Below monument:
"Hester. Ann. Poseyf[s] Sampler Finished in the 15.th
year of her age. A.D. 1837."
- Background:
- Hester was born on December 28, 1822, to Nathaniel and Margaret Posey. Nathaniel and Margaret Kemp were married on October 9, 1812, in Frederick, Maryland. Hester was a teacher and did not marry.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1837
- maker
- Posey, Hester Ann
- ID Number
- TE*E365238
- catalog number
- E365238.000
- accession number
- 124238
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Memorial Sampler for Rev. Samuel Hopkins
- Description
- The entire text on this sampler is worked in black silk, using color only for the border and one crossband. The top center contains a 3 x 3 ½” space that is outlined with basting stitches in tan silk, but is completely empty. It probably was intended to contain a memorial monument or urn. Working the sampler in black indicated death and including a Bible passage on a sampler was common as most families owned that book. The sampler is stitched with silk embroidery thread on a linen ground with a thread count of warp 27, weft 28/in. The stitches used are cross and crosslet.
- The sampler maker did not include her name, but was honoring a well respected minister. Samuel Hopkins was born on October 31, 1729, and married Sarah Porter on February 17, 1756. She was a widow with five children, and they had nine more children. After Sarah died, Samuel married Margaret Stoddard on October 16, 1776, and they had one child. He was ordained as the fourth minister of the church in Hadley, Massachusetts on February 26, 1755, and served until February of 1809, when he was struck with a paralysis which impaired his mental faculties. He died on March 8, 1811.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- TE*E388183
- catalog number
- E388183
- accession number
- 182022
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Catalina Juliana Mason's Map Sampler
- Description
- Map of New York State. Most counties and county seats named; rivers shown but not named; names of neighboring states given (Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania); Erie Canal shown, but not named. Light gray guidelines under all embroidery; water damage prior to arrival at Smithsonian. Silk thread on wool ground. STITCHES: cross, crosslet, four-sided, Algerian eye, back, chain. THREAD COUNT: warp 44, weft 46/in.
- Inscription:
- "MAP
of the
STATE
of
NEW YORK"
- Background:
- Catalina Juliana was born on June 19, 1823, to Sidney and Maria Benito Dorado Mason, in St. Johns, Puerto Rico. Catalina's father was American consul in St. Johns from 1829 to 1835. Desiring to educate his children in his native land, Mr. Mason brought his family to the United States in one of his own sailing vessels. After arrival in Baltimore, they were taken to Gloucester, Massachusetts. His wife soon succumbed to the rigors of the climate and died on September 14, 1835. On the death of his wife, Mr. Mason gave up all business interests and set forth on an extended tour of Europe. Before departing, he traveled to Puerto Rico one more time and took Catalina with him. When they returned, he placed Catalina at Miss Emma Willard's boarding school for girls in Troy, New York. Recalled from Europe by the death of his son on Dec 25, 1839, he took up residence in New York, and Catalina finished her school days with the Misses McClennachan. It is not known where she stitched her map sampler. She married Theodorus Bailey Myers in 1847, and they had two children, Theodorus Bailey and Cassie Mason. Catalina and her husband made many trips to Europe, and she is known to have paid a visit to the famous dressmaker, Worth. Her niece admired her hands, saying "They were not ornamental only, for they could sew and embroider beautifully, and do all sorts of fine worsted work." Catalina died on August 27, 1905. See Catalina Mason's other sampler.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1837-1847
- maker
- Mason, Catalina Juliana
- ID Number
- TE*H33819.A
- catalog number
- H33819.A
- accession number
- 70138
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Caroline Quick's Sampler
- Description
- This sampler features two block alphabets with a lower case backward “j,” She included the following inscription:
- “Bestow dear Lord upon our youth
The gift of saving grace
And let the seed of sacred truth
Fall in a fruitful place
Caroline Quick 1841”
- Caroline Quick’s inscription is from a hymn, Prayer for a Blessing by English poet William Cowper (1731-1800). Stitching such a verse on her sampler was a way for Caroline to receive religious instruction. The sampler is stitched with silk embroidery thread on a linen ground with a thread count of warp 22, weft 25/ in. The stitches used are cross, four-sided, double cross, queen, Algerian eye, and crosslet.
- Caroline Quick (c.1831) was the daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth Quick and was born in Ulster County, Marlborough, New York. In the 1880 New York census she was living with George and Timna Quick Woolsey. Timna was a sister to Caroline, and George and Timna were the parents of donor Harriet Woolsey Gardner, Mrs. Daniel Gardner.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1841
- maker
- Quick, Caroline
- ID Number
- TE*H37549
- catalog number
- H37549
- accession number
- 115031
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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