With Cunning Needle: Four Centuries of Embroidery

September 3, 2011–January 8, 2012

Summer uniform of an enlisted sailor, worn by Warren Opie (born 1835). Probably made and worn on the Susquehanna; 1850-54. Burlington, New Jersey. Linen, silk, wool. 1967.933a,b Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont.

Pair of garters, worked by or for Mary Washington, Virginia; 1753. Silk on linen. 1965.2082.1,.2 Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont.

Apron, England; 1730-40. Silk with gold and silver on silk. 1987.84 Gift of Drs. Irwin and M. Susan Irwin in honor of Florence C. Steigerwalt.

In 2006 Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts began an exciting and innovative project to accurately re-create a 17th-century embroidered woman’s jacket. The process of designing and making what has become known as the Plimoth Jacket has shed new light on the tools and methods employed by the skilled embroiderers of the 1600s. Using the Plimoth Jacket as a touchstone, With Cunning Needle delved into the designs, materials, techniques, and makers of embroidery over four centuries and and explored the history of embroidery and invites visitors to take a closer look at the wide array of styles, technology, and people reflected by this art form. 
 

Related Information

• Read the gallery guide.
• Learn more about the Plimoth Jacket.
• Read about Winterthur's textiles and needlework collection.
• Find out about Winterthur's previous needlework exhibition, Who's Your Daddy, on view from October 4, 2008 to August 17, 2009.

Major funding provided by Jeanne L. Asplundh; Asplundh Foundation; Deborah Autorino; Leslie B. Durst; M. Finkel & Daughter; Leslie and Hans Fleischner; Judy and John Herdeg; Thistle Threads, LLC; Coleman and Susan Townsend; Tru-Vue, Inc.; Darcy Walker; Jan Whitlock; and Dr. Patricia Wilson-Nguyen.