Carolo Girl: Phildelphia (PA) (4) : Betsy Ross House

Betsy Ross's house was on my bucket list of things to do in Philadelphia. I love sewing myself, and I got to see the Star Spangled Banner in D.C., so, yep it was a must stop. She's the woman who sewn the first American Flag ever in secret, right in a town occupied by the British, during the Revolutionary war. As a widow, she also owned her own upholstery shop, through whichshe was was able to support her children all by herself. I know she has been romanced as a historical figure, but I can't help being fascinated and inspired. Not everyone gets to bear arms and fight for their country, but sometimes, ordinary acts ofbravery and resistance are those who matter the most. And anyway, it's not everyday that you get an heroic feminine figure in history books, so yeah!

Betsy Ross, c'est cette jeune drapière qui dans Philadelphie occupé par les troupes britanniques, cousit en secret le tout premier drapeau américain, avec ses rayures rouges et blanches et à l'époque, treize étoiles blanches rangées en cercle sur le célèbre coin bleu. En tant qu'amatrice des arts du fil, j'étais un peu obligée de m'arrêter pour célébrer l'une des rares figures féminines célèbres de la Révolution Américaine.

This was covered in snow by the time Fiona and I came out of the museum.

Free tasting samples of antic-style chocolate cake and hot cocoa, and live performance in costume. It smelled delicious. Seriously, sewing and chocolate? This place was perfect for me.

Quilts!! So much eye-candy, really.

Appliqué-ing all those stars must have been seriously tedious, though.

Loved seeing all the places re-created with furniture. But I think if you follow this blog, you've already noticed I like those ;)

It was super disturbing to talk to the sassy Betsy Ross lady. She was so in character, you would ask questions using the third person and she would answer with the first person. Also, I wanted tosteal half her stash of fabric.

The lady sure was polyvalent and also manufactured musket cartridges when the war limited her access to fabric.

Play kitchen for the children! I love how even very serious American museums have children-approved hands-on activities.

WARNING: This sewing kit contains needle and thread!!! OMG!
I had a huge laugh at this. it's like warning that peanut butter contains peanuts... I understand not wanted lawsuits, but really, this is pushing it a bit far.

But, that didn't stop me from getting a sewing kit. Not this one. An embroidery kit really, some lovely redwork depicting a colonial couple in front of Betsy Ross's house, flag proudly floating in the wind. I find stem stitching very relaxing, I hadn't done any redwork in quite a while (last time was a farm scene with geese adapted from an Hansi illustration). Mylittle colonial lady is almost all stitched up already barely a week afterwards. Yeah for super fast stem stich!