Published Writing
Read a few examples of our published articles
Queen Elizabeth’s Books: An Examination of Nine Embroidered Book Bindings
Queenship and Prayerful Power, Palgrave MacMillan
Anticipated publication 2025
Queen Elizabeth I was celebrated for both her intellect and her needlework. Her embroidered prayer books reflect her identity as a scholar, monarch, and church leader. This paper explores how these books—some made by her, some gifted—express her power, piety, and relationships, uniquely highlighting how needlework reinforced her authority and image as a female ruler.
Embroidered Head Coverings and Their Sources
Attired: Perspectives on Historical Costume, Vernon Press, May 2024
"Attired" is an amply illustrated and compelling approach to the theory of fashion, clothing, and textiles. Our chapter examines embroidered caps in Renaissance England.
Covering Esther, or What Happens When Renaissance Woman Esther Inglis Exchanges Her Brush and Pen for a Needle: Examining Embroidery Through Reproduction
The Collation, Folger Shakespeare Library, November 2024
This article explores the recreation of Esther Inglis’s 1599 embroidered book binding, revealing insights into her artistry, materials, and technique. Collaborating with the Folger Shakespeare Library, we used historical methods and materials to reconstruct the worn original. The process deepened our understanding of Inglis as both artist and needleworker, highlighting the material significance of embroidered bindings in early modern gift culture.
A Book By Its Cover:
Embroidery it for a Prince
Harvard Magazine, October 2017
When we arrived at Houghton Library to study its collection of embroidered book bindings, we were prepared for a bit of a treasure hunt. Such bindings have not received much attention, but as needlework historians, we are used to doing research with little advance information.
The Benefits of Wear: An Analysis of Damaged Needlework
NeedleArts Magazine, March 2016
When you experience a museum exhibition, you are stepping into the middle of a well thought-out story. The display cases are mindfully arranged for viewability and flow; each item in the case is carefully lit, the descriptions give details about dates, origins, and materials used. The item on display is a pristine piece, the best example of the story.
