Jennifer Core and Julia Doyle, Tennessee Samplers

Today we are excited to be talking about samplers--needlework textiles created in the 19th century by young girls (and sometimes boys!) to teach them how to mend, monogram, and embellish their household fabrics. We speak with two textile experts, Julia Doyle, the curator of fashion and textiles at the Tennessee State Museum, and Jennifer Core, whose new book, Tennessee Samplers: Female Education and Domestic Arts, 1800–1900, written with Janet Hasson, has recently been released by the University of Tennessee Press. Julia and Jennifer help us understand how to identify key characteristics of samplers and share tips on preserving them for future generations.