February 2025 Update

Dear All, Happy February! While we often feel need to hibernate this time of year, we at America’s Tapestry have shaken off those winter cobwebs, rolled our sleeves up, and burned the midnight oil! What’s New We have prepared our first panel for stitching. The design for the Georgia Panel has been carefully laid out on a piece of 55” x 65” linen ready for the hands of talented embroiderers. The tracing of the design took about 8 hours and a very steady hand with the aid of a prodigious light box. We look forward to seeing the stitchers in action later this month at the Atlanta History Center! A preliminary embroidery frame has been designed, featuring four 68” wooden boards that interlock to adjustable dimensions. If you think your state may benefit from this frame, please get in touch. Be sure to check out the talented illustrators from across the country who are working on completing the illustrations for America’s Tapestry. February Spotlight - New York This month we are returning to our Spotlight Series to showcase the New York Panel. The design features the Birch Trials, one of the lesser known events hosted by New York’s iconic Fraunces Tavern. Significant research undertaken by the Tavern (at which you can still enjoy a pint or two) has uncovered this important story that resulted in one of the largest emancipations of Black people prior to the Civil War. The Birch Trials were established to determine claims formerly enslaved individuals made about service to the British Crown during the American Revolution. In 1783, American and British Generals gathered at Fraunces Tavern to hear and debate these cases, ultimately determining whether the petitioner would be sent to Nova Scotia as a reward for their service to King George III, or return to slavery in the United States if their case was unclear or contested. Within the design, a hearing is underway in the upper left hand corner. A man advocates for his service and loyalty to Great Britain during the Revolution--a speech which will ultimately determine his fate. In the panel’s center, we learn about the various roles undertaken by enslaved people in the British Army--tradesmen, laborers, and soldiers in Dunmore’s famous Ethiopian Regiment. The lower right hand corner depicts a family en route to their new home in Nova Scotia as citizens of the British Crown. The New York Panel is directed by Jenni Paperman and will be stitched at the Van Schaick Mansion in Albany by the Capitol District Chapter of the EGA alongside other organizations. We are excited for them to get underway! What’s Next? We are preparing the New Jersey & New York panels for stitching. Our illustrators are busy at work designing the New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia Panels. Stay tuned for some very exciting updates on their progress. Think you may need an embroidery frame for your state’s panel? Reach out and let’s find a solution. Attention--Stitchers Needed! That’s right--we are still seeking talented stitchers in the state of South Carolina. Think you know the right person or organization? Send them our info and invite them to join. That's all for this month. Thanks for reading, and happy stitching! Best wishes, Stefan