The Diligent Needle: Instrument of Profit, Pleasure, and Ornament

For centuries, instruction in needlework was an important part of a young woman’s education. Both plain sewing and fancy embroidery require considerable time and effort to learn; as a result, women took great pride in their work. Needlework skills might be used to earn a living, to embellish clothing and household furnishings, or to simply create objects of beauty.

Visit the four sections of this exhibition—Diligence, Profit, Pleasure, and Ornament—to see spectacular examples of women’s work in the Winterthur collection.