Embroidered Pillowcase

Object Details

Date
Between 1950-1959
Medium
cotton, embroiderd
Dimensions
31 3/16 × 22 1/8 in. (79.2 × 56.2 cm)
Cite As
Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Theresa Allen
Caption
In the mid-twentieth century, smaller, single-family homes and new appliances eased the burden of housework, offering some women more time for creative endeavors. Middle-class women of all races took great pride in decorating their homes with their own handiwork. This cotton pillowcase features an embroidered floral pattern along its scalloped edge. Bold blue blossoms and petite pink petals, both with French-knotted yellow centers, grow from leafy, green stems on white fabric. Pillowcases like this one crafted by Therese Withington Ford are among the textiles (2008.0002.0006a-i) made by the college-educated African American women of the Ford family to adorn their Jersey City, NJ home.
Accession Number
2008.0002.0006i
Type
pillowcase
See more items in
Anacostia Community Museum Collection
Data Source
Anacostia Community Museum
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dl8a35bc8c1-09be-4e61-87e1-ca80002e063a
Record ID
acm_2008.0002.0006i
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