Woodlawn Needlework Exhibition Celebrates 50 Years

The Woodlawn Needlework Exhibition celebrates 50 years of showcasing the best needlework in the country starting Friday at Woodlawn Plantation.

Woodlawn is commemorating the Needlework Exhibition's 50th anniversary with a silent auction called Celebration of Needlework, Woodlawn Visitor Services Manager Meredith Mitchell told Patch. Proceeds from the auction will go towards Woodlawn.

"We had several individuals and needlework shops donate needlework, kits, samplers, and a wide selection of books and gifts to the silent auction, and all of the proceeds will go to Woodlawn," Mitchell said. "The auction will be going the whole month of March and the winners will be announced the last day of the program – March 31. The Needlers also designed a special anniversary lapel pin that will be sold in the shop for $5."

The exhibition is operated by Nelly's Needlers, a volunteer auxillary organization dedicating to raising funds for Woodlawn. The exhibition showcases some of the country's best needlewoork and is judged by certified judges from national organizations including the National Academy of Needle Arts and the American Needlepoint Guild. Hundreds of pieces are showcased annually. Last year's judging and setup process took three days.

“For half a century, the needlework exhibition has shown some of the most extraordinary needlework in the country,” Woodlawn Acting Director Susan Hellman said in a press release. “As the longest-running program at Woodlawn, the show continues to attract passionate entrants and supporters of all ages.”

The Nellies have donated more than $750,000 to the historic site since its inception in 1962.

Last year's exhibition took place in May due to the restoration work at Woodlawn.

"It's in the timeframe it has been traditionally," Cindi Malinick, the Louise B. Potter Senior Director of Sites Stewardship, Historic Sites Department, at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, told Patch. "It was hosted more into the spring because of some of the construction and renovation work on the site."

The needlework exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. The show ends on March 31.

Daily admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students through grade 12, and free for children five and under. Friends of Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House are admitted free.