The Textile Museum and Slow Stitching

Last weekend, my husband and I spent the weekend in Toronto.  We connected with friends and family, went to Canada Blooms, cheered on the Toronto Raptors at a basketball game and went to see the current exhibit at the Textile Museum of Canada. We arrived just in time for a guided tour of "Kind words can never die: A Personal Collection of Victorian Needlework".

The exhibit included several of the 173 needlework mottos that Jane Webster collected in her lifetime while living in Nova Scotia.  I had seen pieces like these but had not looked at them closely before.  

These pieces were popular "Slow Stitching" projects for women and girls in the mid to late 1800's.  The kits were available from catalogues and included the wool thread, a perforated cardboard rectangle with the pattern printed on it and the frame. Some included a silver foil that could be put on the back after the piece was finished. 

I thought this one was interesting...  There was also one with the same sentiment about "Mother" as well.  

Several included Bible verses, song titles and mottos.  Most were completed with variegated thread and several had a lot of fading from being displayed in bright, sunny rooms.  

The Textile Museum is small and can only display some of their collection at any one time.  I would recommend that you stop in if you are in Toronto.  It was interesting to see what past generations of Slow Stitchers did with a needle and thread. 

I managed to make a couple more plus signs this week too.

I also hand sewed a button this week and have three pairs of pants to hem ---not my favourite type of slow stitching, but necessary. 

I will be linking up with Kathy tomorrow for our weekly hand stitching sew-in.  Take care!