1897 schoolhouse samplers
Of Special Interest
Antique Sampler Scholarship
Needlework Guilds & Schools
Podcasts
Antique Samplers
Sampler Conservation
Living History Museums
Historic Homes & Sites
Museums
Craft Schools
Craft, Textile, Quilt Museums & Collections
from the experts
Antique Sampler Scholarship
some trusted and valuable sampler history resources
The African School Sampler
Courtesy of Nova Scotia Museum
American Needlework in the Eighteenth Century
Courtesy of The Met
American Samplers
Courtesy of National Museum of American History
Antiques TV
Presented by Joy Jarrett
Bristol Orphanage Samplers
Courtesy of
Dutch Treat Designs
Claudia Dutcher Kistler
George Müller Charitable Trust
The Dating of Ontario Samplers
Courtesy of Leslie Maitland, Royal Ontario Museum
Great Canadian Pioneer Samplers 1741-1896
Courtesy of the CanadaSite.com
A Guide to Early American Samplers: Further Resources
Courtesy of Simmons College Library & Information Sciences
History of Needlework Samplers
Courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum
The Hutterite Needlework Collection
Courtesy of Royal Alberta Museum
Lesson Object as Object Lesson:
The Embroidery Sampler
Courtesy of The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth, John Hopkins University Press
Narrative Threads
Crafting the Canadian Quilt
Anne and Elizabeth Buxton
Courtesy of Virtual Museum.ca
Newfoundland Samplers
Courtesy of The Rooms
Samplers
Courtesy of Textile Research Centre
Samplers Canada
Samplers and what they tell us about Scottish social history
Courtesy of Museum Crush
Stitches Used in Textile Conservation
Courtesy of Canadian Conservation Institute
Stitching History: Using Embroidery to Examine the Past
Courtesy of Active History
What is a Sampler?
Courtesy of The Fitzwilliam Museum
What Sewing Samplers Tell Us About Women's Lives from the 17th to 19th Centuries
Courtesy of Hyerallergic.com
Young Mennonite Girls Left a History in Samplers
Courtesy of The Morning Call
canadian, American and International
Needlework Guilds & Schools
some needlework guilds that I know and support
American Needlepoint Guild (ANG)
ANG offers education through a variety of programs, annual events, and certification for teachers, judges, artists/designers, appraisers, and needlepointers.
mount Laurel, New jersey
United states of america
Cataraqui Guild of Needle Arts
The Cataraqui Guild of Needle Arts is a non-profit group that received its charter from the Embroiderers' Association of Canada in June 2002. Since that time the membership has steadily grown to its current level with members coming from a diverse mix of backgrounds and skill levels.
Kingston, ontario
Canada
Embroiderers' Association of Canada
We are an association of like-minded people in regards to embroidery, fibres and textile art in Canada and across the world.
Canada
Embroiderers' Guild of America
The Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA) was formed for the express purpose of fostering the art of needlework and associated arts. EGA seeks to promote cooperation and the exchange of ideas among those who are engaged in needlework throughout the world by encouraging a high standard of design and technique in embroidery.
united states of america
Lakeshore Creative Stitchery Guild
It all started back in 1971 with a notice posted in supermarkets and shopping centres calling for people interested in embroidery to an open meeting at Centennial Hall in Beaconsfield. The rest, as they say, is history ...
pointe-claire, quebec
Canada
Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery
The Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery is a non-profit organization created to preserve and promote the ancient and noble art of embroidery. Membership is open to anyone interested in furthering the practice and knowledge of the art of embroidery. Our members are of all skill levels, from beginners to nationally certified teachers, and practice a wide variety of techniques including bargello, crewel, cross-stitch, gold work, needlepoint, white work and blackwork.
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Royal School of Needlework (RSN)
The Royal School of Needlework is the international centre of excellence for the art of hand embroidery and offers a range of courses for beginners through to advanced. The early history of the Royal School of Needlework is linked with the social, cultural and political history of Victorian and Edwardian Britain. The Royal School of Needlework began as the School of Art Needlework in 1872 founded by Lady Victoria Welby. The first President was Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, Queen Victoria’s third daughter, known to the Royal School of Needlework as Princess Helena.
Hampton court palace Surrey
united kingdom
San Francisco School of Needlework & Design
The San Francisco School of Needlework & Design offers a wide range of technique classes taught by experienced and dedicated masters of the art – and a welcoming, collegial environment for sharing the pleasures of this slow and infinitely rewarding craft.
san francisco, california
united states of america
Toronto Guild of Stitchery
The Toronto Guild of Stitchery was formed in 1975 to encourage and promote the practice of embroidery in all its forms. Our members enjoy a variety of techniques, including cross stitch, crewel, needlepoint, blackwork, whitework, Schwalm, Hardanger, pulled thread, drawn thread, stumpwork, goldwork, smocking, canvas work, mixed media, Japanese embroidery, and machine embroidery, among others. We welcome stitchers of all skill levels, from beginners to experts
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Stitchery
Podcasts
some podcasts that I love to listen to while I stitch
and a couple that I have been honoured to join as a guest
CRAFT-ish
Vicki Howell
Vickie strives to motivate and inspire people both to live creatively and make a living being creative.
Fiber Talk
Gary parr
Vonna Pfeiffer
Fiber Talk is a twice-weekly podcast for fiber-art hobbyists.
The Long Thread Podcast
Long thread media
The stories of cloth, thread, and their makers. The artists and artisans of the fiber world come to you in the Long Thread Podcast. Each episode features interviews with your favorite spinners, weavers, needleworkers, and fiber artists from across the globe. Get the inspiration, practical advice, and personal stories of experts as we follow the long thread.
Making
Ashley Yousling
Woolful
Whatever your walk of life, locale or creative pursuits, I would love to hear about your journey, your thoughts and your passions. Life is far more enjoyable (and sometimes bearable) knowing there are others experiencing and learning just like yourself.
Stitched Podcast
Elizabeth & Elizabeth
Simple Simon and Company
Up close it's just a bunch of little X's but when you step back and take a look at the whole picture a beautiful image emerges. Join Elizabeth and liZ as they recount the history of cross-stitching...from ancient Egypt tombs to Catherine of Aragon's underwear and from 1980's Christmas ornaments to it's new modern feminist twists...this episode promises to be an interesting ride!
Stitchery Stories
susan weeks
Stitchery Stories is a textile art podcast set up by me – Susan Weeks, and I am a textile art & embroidery enthusiast. Embroidery and textile art is my hobby. I love it, but don’t spend as much time on it as I would always like to. A familiar problem I am sure!
The Sweet Georgia Show
Felicia Lo
Join Felicia Lo, founder of SweetGeorgia Yarns, as she explores the sweet spot between craft, creativity, and colour together with some of the most inspiring knitters, spinners, designers, shop owners, and makers in this handmade community.
Textile Stories
Angharad Rixon
TextileSupport
TextileSupport is a project initiated by Angharad Rixon, technical textile historian, who after years of teaching in the field of fashion and design chose to respond to the growing need for technical and practical information in the textile sector, and so Textile Support was born; a place where all who work with or have a passion for textiles can learn about techniques and materials, exchange ideas and create new hybrids resulting from the blending of tradition and technology.
Antique dealers specializing in
Antique Samplers
some helpful links to antique dealers specializing in samplers
some from which I have personally purchased samplers
and the others,,, well I dream about buying from them
great resources to train your eye to identify genuine antique samplers
Antique Sampler Shop
The Antique Sampler Shop is specialized in authentic 18th and 19th century needlework samplers from Europe.
Netherlands
Carol Telfer Antiques
carol telfer
Antique textiles found mostly in Canada and the USA have been a passion of mine for almost 40 years.
Canada
The Essamplaire
The Essamplaire is a mail order business specializing in authentic reproduction sampler kits and charts. We research and study samplers from some of the world's finest textile collections, such as The Burrell Collection in Glasgow, Scotland, The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England, The Textile Museum in St. Gallen, Switzerland and numerous others as well as from private collections.
Canada
Ex Antiques
Dutch dealers Ex Antiques offers high quality antique needlework samplers and darning samplers for sale. The samplers are reflecting great diversity of origin, age and artistry.The gallery is located on Leliegracht 35, between Keizers- and Prinsengracht in Amsterdam.
Netherlands
Hiscock & Shepherd Antiques
Erna Hiscock
John Shepherd
Between the two of us we have over 60 years experience in both collecting and dealing in English Needlework and pottery. Ema, with her love for all things relating to children is a renowned expert in Samplers. Miniature and Schoolwork are her particular passion. John's Interest for pottery in general has resulted in a comprehensive range from medieval to studio pottery including Delft, Slipware, Creamware and Staffordshire Figures.
England
M. Finkel & Daughter
Morris Finkel first opened an antiques store on Pine Street in Philadelphia in November of 1947, continuing a family tradition in the antiques trade. In 1975, Morris’s daughter, Amy Finkel, joined him.
United States of America
Madelena Antiques & Collectibles
Madelena Antiques was founded in 1997. We are now a well established antiques business, buying and selling all over the world, from our home base in Essex, UK and hub in Georgia, USA.
United Kingdom
United States of America
Needlework Antiques
Needle's Work Antiques specialize in antique samplers and needlework tools from the 18th and 19th centuries.
United States of America
RSG Antiques
Richard Gryziec
Owner, RSG Antiques and manage/promote the Bloomsburg Antiques show.
United States of America
The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter produces reproductions of the world's finest samplers, found in museums and private collections. Exquisite materials are assembled to recreate these masterpieces of needlework, and kits are complete with detailed instructions and stitch diagrams, enabling the modern needleworker to reproduce these pieces exactly as they were originally made in centuries past.
United States of America
SJ Designs
Susan Johnson
SJ Designs is a needlework design studio specializing in canvaswork & counted thread for adventurous stitchers. Our projects are inspired by antique textiles, accented with glass beads, pearls, metallic threads and ribbons. Internet only, no storefront.
United States of America
Stephen & Carol Huber
Antique samplers were predominantly stitched by young girls in private schools, in the 200 year period between 1650-1850.
The Huber's large inventory emphasizes American and English antique samplers, silk embroideries and related textiles. Their historic shop (open by appointment) is a 1649 house in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. They hold special events throughout the year and participate in the nation's leading antique shows.
They have, and continue to assemble, the best collections of antique samplers and needlework in America. They routinely advise major museums, historical societies and private collectors, and are consulted by the leading auction houses.
They welcome inquiries from beginning collectors to the most advanced for either purchasing or selling.
United States of America
Welsh Antiques
Richard Bebb's fine collection is displayed in the appropriate setting of the Old Castle Mill, Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, and covers a wide range of items representing the whole spectrum of dressers, tables, longcase clocks, chests, coffers, cupboards and seating, which was produced in the various parts of Wales.
United Kingdom
Witney Antiques
Founded in 1963, Witney Antiques has a large carefully selected stock of 17th, 18th and early 19th century English and Continental furniture, period longcase and bracket clocks, early English embroidery and needlework samplers.
Georgia, USA.
United Kingdom
near and far
Sampler Conservation
some suppliers, resources and ideas
Brodart
Since Brodart’s founder pioneered the book jacket cover in 1939, we have focused exclusively on helping libraries better serve their patrons. Today, no other provider can match Brodart's broad range of collection development/library services, supplies and furnishings, and custom furniture—all tailored to the unique needs and perspectives of libraries. Our singular focus and specialized expertise enable us to solve problems that others cannot.
Markham, Ontario
Canada
Canadian Conservation Institute
The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), a Special Operating Agency within the Department of Canadian Heritage, advances and promotes the conservation of Canada's heritage collections through its expertise in conservation science, treatment and preventive conservation. CCI works with heritage institutions and professionals to ensure these heritage collections are preserved and accessible to Canadians now and in the future.
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Carr-McLean
Proudly Canadian owned and operated, we have been sourcing and supplying Library and Archival products to Customers across Canada and around the world for more than 50 years.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Museum Textile Services
Museum Textile Services, LLC, is the premier textile conservation studio in New England, specializing in the preservation of fabric-based materials for cultural institutions and individuals. Museum Textile Services documents, cleans, stabilizes and mounts historic textiles. Through educational programs and outreach initiatives, Museum Textile Services teaches individuals and cultural heritage institutions how to ensure better preservation of their textiles.
Andover, Massachusetts
United States of America
Textile Museum of Canada
Caring for Your Textiles Education Guides
Textiles are sensitive to their environment. The conservation department at the Textile Museum of Canada safely and ethically cares for our collection.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Near and far
Living History Museums
one where I work, many I have visited and others that I dream of visiting
Acton Scott
Historic Working Farm
The ancient Acton Scott estate has an idyllic setting in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in the South Shropshire Hills. Owned by the Acton family for approaching 900 years, it remains in their hands today and consists of a number of small farmsteads, stone and timber framed cottages, ancient woodland and open pasture, amounting to some 1,500 acres. At its centre is Acton Scott Hall, a Grade II* listed, Elizabethan mansion of 1580, built by the Acton family, it remains their private residence.
Shropshire
United Kingdom
Beamish Village
Dr. Frank Atkinson, the Museum's founder and first director had visited Scandinavian folk museums in the early 1950s and was inspired to create an open air museum for the North East. He realised the dramatically-changing region was losing its industrial heritage. Coal mining, ship building and iron and steel manufacturing were disappearing, along with the communities that served them. Frank wanted the new museum to “illustrate vividly” the way of life of “ordinary people” and bring the region’s history alive.
Beamish, Co. Durham
United Kingdom
Black Creek Pioneer Village
At Black Creek Pioneer Village, visitors discover 40 historic buildings, 70 rare and heritage breed animals, 10 gardens growing flowers and plants from heirloom seeds, and exciting programs that engage people of all ages.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is the largest outdoor living museum in the country, upholding our educational mission through immersive, authentic 18th-century experiences and programming for our guests. In 1926, the Reverend Dr. William Archer Rutherford Goodwin, with the financial backing of John D. Rockefeller Jr., began to restore Williamsburg to its original colonial state, starting with the purchase of the historic Ludwell-Paradise House. Today, Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area houses restored and historically preserved buildings, 88 of which are originals.
Williamsburg, virginia
united states of america
Cumberland Heritage Village Museum
Lighting a spark to Ottawa’s rural heritage! This charming museum depicts rural life during the 1920s and 1930s in a village setting.
As part of your visit, stop at the General Store, the one-room schoolhouse and see some of our antique vehicles at the unique village garage. Observe some of the traditional trades that ushered in industrialization and see what effect popular culture had on rural life. Families will have fun riding on the tractor-pulled wagon ride and visiting the farm animals.
cumberland, ontario
Canada
Genesee Country Village & Museum
We are a working, 19th-century historic country village with the largest and most comprehensive collection of buildings in New York State — and third largest in the country. Explore our 68 buildings where knowledgeable, costumed interpreters keep the hearth fires burning, the heirloom gardens flourishing, and the livestock tended. Watch live demonstrations at the pottery, cooper shop, tinsmith, and blacksmith. Smell the aroma of fresh baked pies and bread, roll the hoop with a stick, and test your balance on stilts.
Mumford, New York
United States of America
Greenfield Village
part of the Henry Ford
A vast open-air museum featuring seven historic districts, spanning 300 years of American life. The seven districts are: Working Farms, Liberty Craftworks, Henry Ford's Model T, Railroad Junction, Main Street, Edison at Work and Porches & Parlors.
Dearborn, Michigan
United States of America
Hancock Shaker Village
The Hancock community, the third of nineteen major Shaker villages established in New England, New York, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, grew under the leadership of Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright, with land donated by converted farmers. At the peak of its success in the 1840s, the Hancock community had more than 3,000 acres and 300 members. The community gradually declined, in part due to the urban migration that followed the Industrial Revolution. By the early 1900s, only 50 members remained, most of them children. Eventually, excess land was sold and many buildings were destroyed. Concerned citizens stepped in to preserve the Village in the 1960s.
Hancock, Massachusettes
United States of America
Harriton House: Bryn Mawr
Charles Thomson, the first and only Secretary to the Continental and Confederation Congresses, was Harriton's most famous occupant. Yet the story of this house and estate encompasses more than 300 years, beginning with the settlement of "Merion" by Welsh Quakers.
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
United States of America
Historic Deerfield
Historic Deerfield Inc., founded in 1952, is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour twelve carefully-preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850, and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses and in the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storage area.
Deerfield, Massachusetts
United States of America
King's Landing
This 300-acre museum houses over 70,000 artefacts and offers educational exhibits, workshops, unique culinary experiences as well as a 19th-century village where you can step back in time with a community of costumed characters in 70 historic buildings.
Prince William, New Brunswick
Canada
Lang Pioneer Village
Lang Pioneer Village Museum was established by the County of Peterborough in 1967 to celebrate and preserve the rural history of the area. Nestled along the banks of the historic Indian River, Lang Pioneer Village Museum features thirty restored and furnished buildings constructed between 1825 and 1899. Many
Keene, Ontario
Canada
Le Village Historique Acadien
Located on a beautiful 17 acre site that overlooks the Pubnico Harbour, the historic acadian Village of Nova Scotia invites you to step back in time to discover the heart, life, and culture of the Acadians in the early 1900s.
lower west pubnico, nova scotia
Canada
Old Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village, the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, depicts a rural New England town of the 1830s. Step inside more than 40 original buildings, and explore homes, meetinghouses, a district school, country store, bank, working farm, three water-powered mills, and trade shops – all situated on more than 200 scenic acres. Talk with authentically costumed historians and see heritage breed farm animals.
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
United States of America
Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation offers powerful personal encounters with history built on thorough research about the Wampanoag People and the Colonial English community in the 1600s.
Plymouth, Massachusetts
United States of America
Shelburne Museum
Explore and discover art, history, and the natural beauty of Vermont at Shelburne Museum, an unconventional and utterly delightful destination in the Champlain Valley. Folk art, Impressionist paintings, circus collections, and even a steamboat—it’s all here on our beautifully landscaped campus of historic buildings and galleries, each one filled with fascinating collections.
Shelburne, Vermont
United States of America
Sherbrook Village
In the 1860s, timber, tall ships and gold brought prosperity to Sherbrooke’s people. Today, you can explore this amazing village with its 25 original buildings, to experience life as it was along the St. Mary’s River before the 1900s. Hear tales about the village as costumed interpreters bring history to life. Watch sparks fly as the blacksmith’s hammer hits the anvil and see the weaver’s nimble hands at the loom.
Sherbrook, Nova Scotia
canada
Strawberry Banke Museum
Located in the heart of historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is an authentic 10-acre outdoor history museum dedicated to bringing 300+ years of American history in the same waterfront neighborhood to life.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
United States of America
Upper Canada Village
Touring Upper Canada Village is a magical experience, transporting you back in time to the 1860s. A key part of the experience is the authentic buildings that make up the village, the activities that each housed, and of course, the people who lived there. Founded in 1961, Upper Canada Village is one of the largest living-history sites in Canada. Here, we endeavor to depict life in a rural English Canadian setting during the year 1866. Featured are over forty historical buildings, many moved here prior to flooding of the “Lost Villages” during the St. Lawrence Seaway development project. These include homes, functioning mills and trades workshops.
Morrisburg, Ontario
Canada
near and far
Historic Homes & Sites
many I have visited and others that I dream of visiting
Barnum House
In 1819, Eliakim Barnum built a stylish house that stands today as one of Ontario's finest examples of Neo-Classical architecture. The building's composition is formal, with two symmetrical wings flanking a central temple structure. The façade of Barnum House is articulated with pilasters linked by elliptical arches. Its architectural detail is extensive and delicately scaled. Neo-Classical houses were popular in New England in the early 19th century.
Grafton, Ontario
Canada
Bellevue House
Visit the 1840’s restored house and gardens of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister. Exhibits in the visitor centre commemorate his life and career, and costumed staff present the daily life of the Macdonald family.
Kingston, Ontario
Canada
Biltmore Estate
The luxurious family home of George and Edith Vanderbilt is a marvel of elegance and charm, as magnificent today as it was more than a century ago. Faithfully preserved and filled with original furnishings and masterpieces of art, no other residence in America offers a more authentic and inspiring view of Gilded Age life while suggesting that the Vanderbilts and their guests are still at home.
Asheville, North Carolina
United States of America
Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation
At the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation, we strive to present a typical Pennsylvania farm from the period 1760-1790. To accomplish this, we rely on primary documents detailing both the history of our particular site but also similar farms in southeastern Pennsylvania. Although we do not interpret our farm as the "Pratt Farm," we have been able to use the actual records of our site to shape how we interpret colonial farm life
newton square, pennsylvania
united states of america
Casa Loma
Sir Henry Pellatt, the dreamer behind Toronto’s famous heritage site; Casa Loma, was born to his British parents in Kingston, Ontario on January 6, 1859. Ambitious from his youth, Sir Henry Pellatt left his studies at Upper Canada College when he was seventeen to pursue a career in commerce in the family business. By the age of twenty-three, he became a full partner in his father’s stock brokerage firm Pellatt and Pellatt. That year was also marked by his marriage to Mary Dodgeson, whom he met when he was twenty.
Even as a young man, Henry Pellatt embraced the spirit of the family motto “Devant Si Je Puis” or “Foremost If I Can”. When he met his bride-to-be, Sir Pellatt had already achieved local renown in 1879 for beating the U. S. amateur champion of the one mile race. Travels to Europe gave him the love for fine art and architecture, which would spur his vision of Casa Loma-“House on the Hill.”
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Corgi Cottage
Tasha Tudor
Tasha Tudor, one of America’s most beloved author-illustrators of children’s literature, has brought abiding joy to generations of readers. During her lifetime, she wrote and illustrated more than two dozen published texts while her artwork has now appeared in over one hundred different titles and on multitudinous greeting cards. She is justifiably famous and appreciated around the world, for the expressive nature of her exquisite watercolors and pencil drawings (particularly those featuring children) which often convey tranquility as well as gentle humor.Tasha Tudor always wanted to live in Vermont. With the publication of Corgiville Fair in 1971, she was able to purchase secluded land nestled in the southern Vermont hills. Tasha’s son Seth helped her secure the land that bordered his and he began building first her barn, then her home, all with only hand tools.
Marlboro, Vermont
United States of America
Old Stone Mill
The Old Stone Mill in Delta Ontario is a National Historic Site showcasing milling technology and 1800s industrial heritage. The mill was built in 1810 and is one of the finest examples of early industrial architecture in the region. The mill features interpretive displays, an operating waterwheel, millstones, bolter, grain elevators, and artifacts illustrating the grist milling process through the years.
Delta, Ontario
Canada
Dundurn National Historic Site
Experience a guided tour of this 40-room Italianate-style villa built in the 1830’s on Burlington Heights; the former site of a fortified military encampment established by the British in 1813.
Once home to Sir Allan Napier MacNab, railway magnate, lawyer and Premier of the United Canadas (1854-1856) and his family, today Dundurn Castle tells the story of the family who lived above stairs and the servants who lived and worked below stairs to support their affluent lifestyle. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall is the museum’s Patron and the great, great, great granddaughter of Sir Allan MacNab.
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Fairfield House & Park
In 1793 the farmhouse of Loyalists William and Abigail Fairfield was the heart of a growing farm. Today, Fairfield House is eastern Ontario's best preserved 18th century dwelling, distinguished by the survival of many of its original interior features. On guided tours of the house, visitors move from the limestone cellar to the raftered attic.
Amherstview, Ontario
Canada
Green Gables Heritage Place
Visit the house and landscape that inspired Island author Lucy Maud Montgomery for the setting of her world famous book Anne of Green Gables. Your visit can include a short presentation on the history of the site and its connections to the author; a guided tour of Green Gables house; meeting Anne or enjoying some interpretive programming; and time to explore exhibits on the cultural history of late 19th century Cavendish.
Cavendish Prince Edward Island
Canada
Historic Rittenhouse Town
At the heart of the thriving early industrial community known as Rittenhouse Town, the first paper mill in America was built. The Rittenhouse Mill quickly became the heart of this thriving, early industrial community. For eight generations, the rush of Paper Mill Run, the hum of the water wheel, and the clatter of horse hooves echoed throughout this narrow valley cut by the rapidly moving creek. As the first Rittenhouse home, the Homestead would also become among the first permanent home for the Mennonite community.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
United States of America
Homewood Museum
Step back in time to 1800. Get a glimpse of the life of Dr. Solomon Jones (1756-1822), a United Empire Loyalist and the area’s first physician. Explore one of Ontario’s oldest houses, view original Jones family furnishings and heirlooms, and discover the story behind the internationally known Red Fameuse apple. See where seven generations of the Jones family chose to call home and immerse yourself in Ontario’s rich heritage.
Maitland / Prescott, Ontario
Canada
Jane Austen's House
Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire, is the house where Jane Austen lived and wrote. It is the most treasured Austen site in the world.
Chawton, Hampshire
United Kingdom
Kykuit
Kykuit was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, beginning with the philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His business acumen made him, in his day, the richest man in America. Now a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this extraordinary landmark has been continuously and meticulously maintained for more than 100 years.
sleepy hollow, new york
united states of america
Laura Secord Homestead
During the war of 1812, a brave woman set out on a perilous journey in the service of her country and stepped forever into the history and folklore of Niagara. Travel back in time to the lovingly restored Laura Secord Homestead and be enchanted by stories of her adventures and surroundings as interpreted by authentically costumed guides. Guided tours are provided by qualified costumed interpreters, providing information about this historic house and the history of the area.
queenston, ontario
Canada
Mackenzie Printery
Discover 500 years of printing technology inside the restored home of publisher, rebellion leader, and Toronto’s first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie. Located in the quaint village of Queenston, the Mackenzie Printery offers visitors a hands-on experience with a working linotype and eight operating heritage presses. Don’t miss the rare Louis Roy Press, the oldest printing press in Canada and one of the few original wooden presses remaining in the world.
queenston, ontario
canada
Mark Twain House and Museum
During his lifetime‚ Sam Clemens watched a young United States evolve from a nation torn apart by internal conflicts to one of international power. He experienced America’s vast growth and change – from westward expansion to industrialization‚ the end of slavery‚ advancements in technology‚ big government and foreign wars. And along the way‚ he often had something to say about the changes happening in his country.
hartford, connecticut
united states of america
Monticello
Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s plantation near Charlottesville, Va., was the center of his world. To understand Jefferson, one must understand Monticello; it can be seen as his autobiographical statement. Monticello encompassed a house, an ornamental landscape, a farm, a plantation, a small mountain, and a large and diverse community. It encapsulated the interests, talents, ideals, ambitions, and realities of its creative and complex owner.
Charlottesville, Virginia
United States of America
Mount Vernon
The estate, gardens, and farm of Mount Vernon totaled some 8,000 acres in the 18th century. Presently, an estimated 500 acres of this historic property have been painstakingly preserved along the banks of the Potomac River. Guests visiting the estate can view Washington’s Mansion and many other original structures. The historic footprint also includes the tomb of George and Martha Washington and a memorial dedicated to the enslaved people who lived and worked on the estate. Interpretive spaces such as the Pioneer Farm and George Washington's Gristmill & Distillery provide a rich understanding of Washington's enterprising and profitable business ventures.
mount vernon, virginia
united states of america
Orchard House
Louisa May Alcott
Orchard House (c. 1650) is most noted for being where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women in 1868. This noble home also has a rich history stretching back two centuries beforehand, as well as more than 100 years of life as a treasured historic site open to the public. The Alcotts were a famous yet flawed family who firmly believed in the power of unconditional love, personal agency, and social justice. Discover the many ways in which they impacted literature, education, philosophy, art, reforms of all kinds -- and each other.
Concord, massachusetts
united states of america
Philipsburg Manor
Wander along a woodland path and enter the year 1750, when Philipsburg Manor was a thriving milling and trading complex that was home to 23 enslaved individuals of African descent.
Step into the working gristmill and learn about the work of Caesar, the enslaved African miller. Tour the manor house, where period artifacts and touchable reproductions bring to life the stories of the Philipse family and the enslaved community.
sleepy hollow, new york
united states of america
Ruthven Park
Visit Ruthven Park, a unique historic estate overlooking the Canadian Heritage Grand River, and experience the mansion and the lifestyle of five generations of the Thompson family who lived here from the 1840s – 1990s.
cayuga, ontario
canada
Sonnenburg Garden & Mansion
Sonnenberg is known for its distinctive period architecture, statuary, formal gardens, fountains and unique garden structures. Sonnenberg is the former summer home and creation of Frederick Ferris and Mary Clark Thompson. He was a New York City banker, and she was the daughter of a New York State governor. As newlyweds in 1863, the Thompson’s purchased a 300-acre farmstead named Sonnenberg (Sunny Hill) near Canandaigua Lake for their summer estate. By 1887, they replaced the previous farmstead residence with the current Sonnenberg Mansion. Mr. Thompson died in 1899 and in 1902, Mrs. Thompson began re-designing, renovating, and building the diverse gardens surrounding the mansion as a living memorial to her husband.
canandaigua, new york
united states of america
Van Cortlandt Manor
Explore the stone manor house and brick ferry house, wander through the heritage gardens, and stroll down a quiet country road along the Croton River. There, you’ll experience the domestic life of a patriot family living in the years just after the American Revolution—the New Nation period. With its extraordinary collection of colonial and federal furnishings, the manor house illustrates the opulence enjoyed by the Van Cortlandts. In contrast, the ferry house brings alive the strenuous challenges of living in post-Revolutionary America.
Croton-on-Hudson New York
United States of America
Watson's Mill
Watson’s Mill is a museum and historical centre that celebrates Manotick and its history. The building is an 1860s grist and flour mill built by Moss Kent Dickinson and Joseph Currier, who together founded the town of Manotick. Today Watson’s Mill continues to grind flour, using the same technology that existed when it opened.
Manotick, Ontario
Canada
Winterthur
Almost 60 years ago, collector and horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969) opened his childhood home, Winterthur, to the public. Today, Winterthur (pronounced “winter-tour”) is the premier museum of American decorative arts, with an unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 objects made or used in America between about 1640 and 1860. The collection is displayed in the magnificent 175-room house, much as it was when the du Pont family lived here, as well as in permanent and changing exhibition galleries. Winterthur is set amidst a 1,000-acre preserve of rolling meadows and woodlands. Designed by du Pont, its 60-acre naturalistic garden is among America’s best, with magnificent specimen plantings and massed displays of color. Graduate programs and a preeminent research library make Winterthur an important center for the study of American art and culture.
winterthur, delaware
united states of america
Woodlawn & Pope Leighey House
Woodlawn Estate was the first family home of Eleanor “Nelly” Custis, granddaughter of George and Martha Washington, and one of America’s most skilled early needlework makers. Our annual Needlework Show & Sale, continues to honor her legacy as an exceptional and American craftswoman, while maintaining a long tradition of the needle arts as a popular art form. As a judged, but not juried, show where all entries that fit our few important guidelines are displayed, we seek to celebrate those who have long been fine tuning their craft, and those who are just emerging as participants in the needle arts. The annual Needlework Show & Sale is a critical fundraiser for our non-profit historic site, home to two iconic properties.
alexandria, virginia
united states of america
near and far
Museums
many I have visited and others that I dream of visiting
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, during a time that was marked by a revival in patriotism and intense interest in the beginnings of the United States of America. Women felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings and were frustrated by their exclusion from men's organizations formed to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought to make this country free and independent. As a result, a group of pioneering women in the nation's capital formed their own organization and the Daughters of the American Revolution has carried the torch of patriotism ever since.
washington, D.C
United States of America
Gawthorpe Textiles Collection
The collection is one of the most interesting textile collections in the UK and is known to textile specialists worldwide. The 30,000+ artefacts range from the highly functional to the finest decorative or ceremonial pieces. Spanning five centuries, covering a broad range of techniques and originating from across the globe, this collection speaks as much about cultural, social and personal histories as it does about textile craft.
Burley Road, Padiham
United Kingdom
Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
he Mississippi Valley Textile Museum is located in the annex of the former Rosamond Woolen Company in Almonte, Ontario. Constructed in 1867 this National Historic Site of Canada now features a blend of the old and new, all related to the history of the Mississippi Valley and the textile industry. Exhibitions range from early mill history and period mill equipment to cottage industry and eclectic modern fibre art exhibitions.
Almonte, Ontario
Canada
Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts
The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) is the preeminent center for researching, collecting, and exhibiting decorative arts made and used by those living and working in the early South.
Winston-Salem North Carolina
United States of America
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
Founded in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum showcases art, culture and nature from around the world and across the ages. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. As the country’s preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new discoveries, the ROM plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of the artistic, cultural and natural world.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Textile Museum of Canada
The Textile Museum of Canada aims to inspire understanding of the human experience through textiles.
We are the only museum in Canada delivering programs and exhibitions dedicated solely to textile arts. The Museum ignites creativity, inspires wonder, and sparks conversation through the stories held within our global collection of textiles, and active engagement with contemporary art practices.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Victoria and Albert Museum
The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.3 million objects that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. The Museum holds many of the UK's national collections and houses some of the greatest resources for the study of architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, painting, jewellery, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theatre and performance.
London
United Kingdom
near and far
Craft Schools
celebrating, sharing and teaching the skills of the handmade
Foxfire
In 1966, a new teacher at the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Northeast Georgia’s Appalachian mountains was struggling to engage students in his high school English class. In frustration, he asked them what they thought would make the curriculum interesting. They decided to create a magazine, honing their writing skills on stories gathered from their families and neighbors, and producing articles about the pioneer era of southern Appalachia as well as living traditions still thriving in the region. They called it “Foxfire” after the glowing fungus that clings to rotted wood in the local hills. This spark of an idea, and the work that followed, has turned into a phenomenon of education and living history, teaching readers, writers, visitors, and students how our past contributes to who we are and what we can become – how the past illuminates our present and inspires imagination.
Mountain city, georgia
united states of america
John C. Campbell Folk School
The Folk School transforms lives, bringing people together in a nurturing environment for experiences in learning and community life that spark self-discovery. Located in scenic Brasstown, North Carolina, the Folk School offers year-round weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing.
brasstown north carolina
United states of america
Penland School of Craft
Founded in 1929 by Lucy Morgan, Penland School was originally an outgrowth of a craft-based economic development project she had started several years earlier. When Morgan retired in 1962, she was succeeded by Bill Brown who updated and expanded the school’s offerings, added longer fall and spring sessions, and created resident artist programs at the school. Today, Penland encompasses about 420 acres and 57 buildings, and more than 1,400 people come each year seeking instruction.
penland, north carolina
united states of america
near and far
Craft, Textile, Quilt Museums & Collections
some I have visited, but most I dream of visiting one day
American Folk Art Museum
Self Taught Art Across Time and Place
Since 1961, the American Folk Art Museum has been the leading institution shaping the understanding of art by the self-taught through its exhibitions, publications, and educational programs. As a center of scholarship, it showcases the creativity of individuals whose singular talents have been refined through personal experience rather than formal artistic training. Its collection includes more than eight thousand works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent—from compelling portraits and dazzling quilts to powerful works by living artists in a variety of mediums.
New york, new york
United states of america
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art was founded in 1913 “for the benefit of all the people forever.”1 We strive to help the broadest possible audience understand and engage with the world’s great art while honoring the highest aesthetic, intellectual, and professional standards.
cleveland, ohio
United states of america
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the lead partner of the spectacular collections of the University of Cambridge Museums (UCM) and Botanic Garden. From antiquity to the present day, the Fitzwilliam houses a world-renowned collection of over half a million beautiful works of art, masterpiece paintings and historical artefacts. We are free to visit for all.
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Florence Griswold Museum
Situated along the picturesque Lieutenant River in Old Lyme, Connecticut, the Florence Griswold Museum embodies the artistic spirit of its legacy as the home of the Lyme Art Colony. From the impressive Georgian architecture of the home of namesake Florence Griswold, to the light-filled and modern spaces of the Krieble Gallery, to the rolling landscape of our 13-acre site, the Florence Griswold is a truly special place that is privileged to serve as the home of American Impressionism.
Old lyme, connecticut
United states of america
Helmshore Textile Museum
The museum itself consists of two mills; the Higher Mill which is a woollen fulling mill built in 1789 and driven by a water wheel. Whitaker's Mill was built in the mid 19th century and is a specialised cotton spinning mill, starting from waste recycled cotton and finishing with mule spun yarn. There are other significant exhibits including a full size Hargreaves Spinning Jenny and a portrait of Sir Richard Arkwright.
Helmshore, Lancashire
United Kingdom
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Located on the Pacific Rim, LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of more than 142,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe.
Los Angeles, California
United States of America
The Met
The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.
Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum's galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.
New York, New York
United States of America
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Founded in 1870, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, stands on the historic homelands of the Massachusett people, a site which has long served as a place of meeting and exchange among different nations. The MFA opened its doors to the public on July 4, 1876, the nation's centennial. Built in Copley Square, the MFA was then home to 5,600 works of art. Over the next several years, the collection and number of visitors grew exponentially, and in 1909 the Museum moved to its current home on Huntington Avenue. Today the MFA is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world; the collection encompasses nearly 500,000 works of art.
boston, massachusetts
United states of america
National Museums of Scotland
Two strands of history come together in the story of the development of the National Museums Scotland: the desire to have a museum reflecting Scottish history and the wish to have a museum demonstrating international cultures, natural and physical sciences, and decorative art for Scotland.
Edinburgh, scotland
United kingdom
Queen Street Mill Textile Museum
Whilst works are ongoing repairing the Queen Street Mill chimney we are unable to fire the boilers and put the engine into steam, we hope the works will be completed later this year. In addition for public safety there remains an exclusion zone in place inside the mill so in order to ensure visitors can see all of our fascinating spaces we will run regular guided tours around the mill with regular talks in the engine shed during our opening hours.
Harle Syke Burnley, Lancashire
United Kingdom
Shetland Textile Museum
The Shetland Textile Museum holds a collection of Shetland textiles which shows the heritage skills unique to these Isles.
Our Collection comprises several hundred items. It includes Fair Isle knitting, Shetland lace, Shetland Taatit rugs and woven tweed. Tools associated with the production of Shetland textiles, and papers and patterns are also held in the Collection. The date range covers 1870 to 2018.
Lerwick, Shetland
United Kingdom
Smithsonian
National Museum of American History
The earliest known American sampler was made by Loara Standish of the Plymouth Colony about 1645. By the 1700s, samplers depicting alphabets and numerals were worked by young women to learn the basic needlework skills needed to operate the family household. By the late 1700s and early 1800s, schools or academies for well-to-do young women flourished, and more elaborate pieces with decorative motifs such as verses, flowers, houses, religious, pastoral, and/or mourning scenes were being stitched. The parents of these young women proudly displayed their embroideries as showpieces of their work, talent, and status. In recent years, samplers have become important in museum collections as representations of early American female education. Many are signed, and some are inscribed with locations and the names of teachers and schools. The emergence of large numbers of these samplers has resulted in much research in diaries, account books, letters, newspaper ads, local histories, and published commentary that is helping to illuminate the lives of women in early America.
washington, dc
United states of america
