Stitchers

Irene Allie is an embroiderer on the Massachusetts tapestry panel, and has also contributed to New Hampshire. A resident of Dighton, Massachusetts, she has been stitching for three to four decades, beginning with her grandmother before moving into crewel embroidery and then, in 1993, to stitching on linen. Her earlier needle arts include cross stitch, quilting, surface embroidery including crewel, and knitting; many of the surface stitches on the panel were a reconnection with techniques from her past, while the diagonal stitches were new to her.

Rooted in her community, Irene has served with the Dighton Historical Commission and the Dighton Historical Society. She came to the project through the Mayflower Sampler Guild, where — with the encouragement of Massachusetts director Denise De More — she and fellow members were inspired to take on the Massachusetts panel. Since joining, the story of chocolate-making in the state, especially around Peabody, has been an eye-opener. Her hope is that everyone who sees these panels feels pride in how far the country has come over 250 years, and a deeper appreciation for its history.