About this episode

Emily Whitted discusses her research on textile mending and its implications in early American history.

A pair of silk stockings, mended again and again below the ankle, set Emily Whitted on the path of discovery that has led her through archives and museums of early American history. The stockings belonged to Philadelphia’s Stephen Girard, who was one of the wealthiest men in America. Museum records didn’t mention the mends, though the socks had been repaired several times, making them as invisible to historians examining records as anyone Girard met on the street. Textiles were valuable in the early 19th century, and even a wealthy man wore stockings mended by one of the women of his household. Mending, darning, and repair became the subject of Emily’s doctoral thesis at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a project she has nearly completed. Her research into mending has led her to investigate how repaired clothing could identify a person trying to self-emancipate, how well repaired clothing could indicate moral character, and how groups of men repaired not only their belongings but also sails in maritime life. Emily was drawn into the history of textiles by her interest in the role of cloth in women’s lives. With a background in public history (presenting information about…

People in this episode

Guest: Emily Whitted

Topics covered

• textile history
• mending
• early American history
• women's roles
• public history

Keywords

• textiles
• mending
• darning
• historical research
• women's history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Webb Deane Stevens Museum

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