June 6 - 12, 2009
Course: Needlework
Project: Needlepoint Panel for a Queen Anne Game Table
Course Description:
Card games were
frowned upon in
17th Century New
England, but were
a very popular form
of entertainment in
the 18th Century. An
acceptable diversion
in England since the 15th Century, card playing traveled
to the New World with the pilgrims. The activity was
enjoyed in private homes and in public inns and taverns.
Second only to chairs, gaming tables were the most
frequently produced articles of furniture by New England
cabinetmakers. The earliest examples were made in the
Boston area as early as 1730. The Queen Anne styles
had shallow recessed surfaces, rounded or squared
corners for candlesticks, and scooped pockets for coins
or counters. A drawer in front held cards and candles.
The recessed playing surface, originally intended
for baize fabric, provided the colonial woman with
an opportunity to display her needlework skills. The
completed panel was then tacked into the shallow
space. Among the most elegant table covers made in
early America were those done in canvas work, a style
of embroidery fashionable for fine household furnishings
and accessories.
Referring to photographs of antique embroidered
panels for inspiration, students will chart their pattern
on graph paper. Class discussions will include the
essentials for setting up the project, color selection,
and adapting antique designs into 1/12th scale.
As an option, the completed work may be attached
to a Queen Anne card table, created especially for this
class by Mark Murphy. The table, made of cherry, will
feature a recessed area for a needlepoint panel, a drawer,
rounded corners, pockets for coins, and cabriole legs.
Time:
Power Tools: None.
Skill Level:All levels. Beginners are welcome to take this
class. Each will receive basic needlepoint instructions
and materials on which to practice in advance of the
school week. A partial chart will be available—the design
to be stitched on #48 silk gauze, for those not wanting
to design their own pattern. Intermediate and advanced
students may choose to design their patterns to be
worked on #58 or #72 silk gauze.
Materials Fee: $15 with an optional fee of $175 for a
Queen Anne game table created by Mark Murphy. |
