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Make Do: Feed-Sack Fashion in the First Half of the Twentieth Century

In the early twentieth century, staples, such as flour and livestock feed, were sold in cloth bags. As American families entered the 1930s, reusing these fabrics became more popular, and bags became more colorful.

The Long Thread: Joan Sheridan

Joan Sheridan shares her lifelong passion for textiles as a volunteer conservator at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

Knitting Comforts for the Troops

During World War I (1914–1918), knitters produced prodigious quantities of warm clothing and other items for servicemen and the wounded.

A Modern-Style Dowry Bag with Traditional Embroidery

This embroidered dowry bag bridges the gap between the traditional and modern. The shape meets the demands of current trends, but the stitching pays tribute to the needlework of vintage dowry bags.

Bargello: Cloaked in Legend

The origins of the simple, yet striking, bargello stitch remain clouded in mystery, but its popularity has spanned centuries.

“You’ve Got to Really Like Your Job” Department Stores as Purveyors of Yarn and Knitting Knowledge, 1930–1960

During the mid-twentieth century, department stores capitalized on knitting’s soaring popularity with free instruction from knitting experts.

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Portuguese Socks from Serra D’Ossa

Andrea Wong’s miniature Portuguese stocking, from the January/February 2017 issue of PieceWork, is based on socks in the classic style of those from Serra D’Ossa, Portugal.

A Needleworker’s Companion: A Friend in Need Book

When Dawn bought her first antique friend in need book, she was attracted to its sweet, sewing-themed pockets, which are finished with braid trim on the pocket flap edges and labeled for the various contents held inside.

Notions: Textile Journeys from Home

Set off on a textile adventure with PieceWork Winter 2020 and read about the threads that connect our needlework traditions.

Anu Raud’s Animals

Anu Raud's animals each have a unique personality and were designed to teach children about Estonian culture and traditions.