Mapping America, One Stitch at a Time

As part of America’s semiquincentennial in 2026, we are highlighting needlework-related projects, exhibitions, and insightful historical articles that contribute to the celebration. This week we feature a story about girls’ education through embroidery in the years following the American Revolution.

Soon after the United States gained independence, much of its geography remained unfamiliar to its citizens. As schools sought to cultivate geographic literacy, girls were taught not only to read maps but also to make them—sometimes with needle and thread.

Dr. Lynne Anderson is the founder and president of the Sampler Consortium and director of the Sampler Archive Project. She and her colleague Stacy Whittaker share their research about girls’ education in “Mapping America, One Stitch at a Time.” These stitched maps offer more than geographic information. They reveal how young women engaged intellectually and artistically with a new nation, mapping America one careful stitch at a time.

Please enjoy Lynne and Stacy’s article “Mapping America, One Stitch at a Time,” available as a free download in the PieceWork library.

If you would enjoy learning more about needlework in America, you’ll want to check out our Spring 2026 issue: Celebrate American Needlework.

Enjoy,

Karen