Needlework was a daily part of life for women in colonial times. Plain needlework, consisting of stitching clothing and household items, was a necessity in every home. Fancy needlework such as this design, however, was a creative outlet and a stylish lady's most important accomplishment. Passed from mother to daughter or taught at boarding school, needlework was an integral part of a young girl's education.

The design for this pillow is based on a mid-18th-century wool-and-silk petit point picture in the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation collection.