Needlework picture (Wool work)

Description

Sailors had to be adept with needle and thread in order to mend sails and clothes, but they also practiced the art of embroidery. Decorative needlework was used to embellish clothing at a time when there were no standard military uniforms. It was also used to create woolen pictures, such as this one, worked with colorful merino wool and paint on a twill-woven cotton canvas. These pictures, also referred to as "woolies" were often inspired by print designs of the day. There are few documented examples of American marine embroideries - many more are known to have been done by British sailors.