With February being National Embroidery Month, we thought it’d be the perfect time to showcase some of the incredible pieces we have in our collection.
Women’s Christian Temperance Union Banner by Louise Guile, RG4606-5
I’m an embroiderer myself (I have recently have gotten into applique and have my eyes on quilting next), so I love to look through our collection and see what Nebraskans-usually women-have created with their hands. One thing I love about embroidery is it’s so unexpectedly versatile. It can be used to commemorate a special life event, to show your stance on a particular topic, or simply for beauty.
Women’s Christian Temperance Union Banner created by Louise Guile. Louise was a member of the Lincoln WCTU. While the story this banner tells of the fight for prohibition is historically significant, it also shows the skills of Guile. The color transitions on the letters, the shading on the ribbon, and the hundreds of French knots that make up the goldenrod are truly amazing. (Click the images to take a closer look at the objects.)
Ducks on a Pond by Josephine Wosika, RG7464-1
Ducks on a Pond embroidery made by Josephine Wosika. Josephine immigrated to the United States from the Czech Republic and would settle in Falls City. She completed this work featuring life-size mallard ducks in 1887. It took her over a year to complete this piece of embroidery using a technique sometimes referred to as “thread painting.”
-Jordan Miller, 3D Objects Curator, February 2026
