Friday, April 22, 2011

Colonial Embroidery exhibit

I had a lovely time at the Boston Museum of Arts. I went to see the Colonial Embroidery exhibit with pictorial embroideries...there were about a dozen-about half like the one above done in plain stitch on linen (a counted stitch embroidery like cross stitch and needlepoint but only going up and down) and half on satin and done with long and short stitch. One of these was especially beautiful. I asked about a catalogue but no, not even any postcards. :( You can see a few emore of them on-line here.

One of the most interesting parts of this exhibit was that the curators had identified the embroidery teachers of some of these schoolgirls: Elizabeth Murray and Jeannine (Janet) Day.

I totally lucked out: I went looking through the new reopened American Wing and I actually got to see the Harriet Powers Quilt. Its only on view for a while so if you're in Boston-go see it!
And listen to this: its machine appliqued with a simple straight stitch!! Now that's something you have to see the quilt to know.

1 comment:

Rosalyn Manesse said...

Wow, you actually saw that Harriet Powers quilt! I have photos of it in a book. Great post