Diligence

Samplers diligently worked in day schools and boarding schools are the best-documented examples of a girl’s education, but needlework skills were also learned at home, where women of all ages took part in the plain sewing and embroidery activities of the household. Some women hated stitching, while others took great pleasure in their “work”—a term used for both plain and decorative needlework. These skills, often acquired when very young, were practiced by women throughout their lives.