The women behind the history of needlecraft are often undocumented. This month we talk with Dawn Cook Ronningen, needlework historian and collector of antique needlecraft tools, about the rich history of needlework paraphernalia and her fascinating books that celebrate women as innovators of needlework technology…
What is the story of your relationship with needlework? Was your passion for the history of needlework born at the beginning of your stitching journey or did that come later?
When I was seven, my grandmother taught me to embroider, buying me my own embroidery hoop, threads, and a pre-marked dresser scarf. IAs a student, I loved my school library where I poured over Elsa Williams and textile history books. Those seeds stayed with me as life took me along different paths. Later in life, I had more time and resources to pursue needlework and history.
