The parlor was seen as a domain for entertaining guests and served as a visual representation of the family’s good taste in interior decoration. The activities that took place in this room extended to sewing, as housewives would organize sewing circles with close female acquaintances or use the space as a private sewing nook.

Utilizing the correct sewing tools was essential to producing both intricate and simple forms of needlework. Plain sewing involved tasks such as mending holes and tears, as well as marking textiles and garments for identification purposes using monograms, dates, and inventory numbers. These domestic chores were a day-to-day routine and an important component to maintaining order in the household.

See the sub menu above for the other different areas of expertise that make up our exhibit, The Home Needle.