Russia sent Russian lace, and a number of photographs of school children
learning to sew. They also sent some lovely Russian embroidery, but no
plain sewing.
Mexico had a case full of wonderful drawn work; France some wonderful
designs for dresses, and some beautifully finished dress-waists, but the
little under-garments were as coarse as those of Switzerland. This was a
disappointment, because we always suppose that France sets the fashion for
daintiness.
Two very interesting pieces of work had been loaned for the occasion: one,
a sofa cushion worked by Martha Washington; and the other a map of England
and Wales, done in Berlin wools by George Washington's aunt.
The map was beautifully worked, and was a marvel of neatness, with the
counties all outlined in different colors, and their names worked in with
very fine stitches.
Of Martha Washington's handiwork it is hard to speak. It was the ugliest
sofa cushion you can imagine, worked in browns so that it should not show
the dirt, and with such irregular stitches that either Madam Washington
must have been losing her sight when she worked it, or else she was a very
poor needle-woman.
The American exhibit had one wonderful case of work done by the blind.
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