Stitching the Solar System: Science as Needlepoint, 1811
From The Vault, Slate.com’s history blog: In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, girls in the UK and the US used needle and thread to embroider images and text onto pieces of fabric that were called “samplers.” Samplers, which could be quite intricate, were meant to promote basic literacy and to teach patience and carefulness. […]