Spinning, weaving, and sewing a variety of textiles took up a major portion of time for early pioneers.  Because every scrap of fabric was precious, worn garments usually became part of a quilt eventually and quilt-making became a means for social and artistic expression for many pioneer women.  Newell House has an extensive collection of quilts, needlework, and other piece goods dating back to the 1700's.  There are also many carding, spinning, and weaving tools.

Some of the spinning and weaving tools at Newel House

This fabulous sampler was cross stitched with floral sprays,  figures, birds and animals by Jane Smith, great great great grandmother of Mrs. A. L. Berkeley who donated the piece to the Newell House Museum.  The sampler is the genealogy of Jane Smith who was born in 1712 and is embroidered on linen.  Jane was nine years old when she began work on the sampler, completing it at age eleven.

This collection of baskets came from the Tlingit Tribe of Southern Alaska whose weaving was finely twined with thin walls (compared to fine linen).

This beautiful dress is made of white deerskin and decorated with dentalum shells, beads, abalone shells and small arrow head trim.  The dress was once worn by Princess Lottie of the Coos Bay.  It is circa 1860-70.