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Article: Celebrating Needlework at Woodlawn
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 3, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Inadvertently, Martha Washington's grand-daughter Nellie Custis
Lewis inspired the largest and oldest needlework exhibition in the
country. Lewis, who was an ardent needler, lived at Woodlawn
Plantation in Alexandria while she was married to Lawrence Lewis from
1802 until he died in 1839. She acquired her needlework skills from
her grandmother, and many samples of Lewis' work are a part of
Woodlawn's permanent collection.
With Lewis' example in mind, a group of 75 women-who call
themselves Nellie's Needlers-initiated the juried needlework
exhibition in 1963 as a fund-raiser for Woodlawn.
This year, Woodlawn and Nellie's Needlers are celebrating the
exhibit's 25th anniversary.
"When the ...