I’ve been embroidering—what I like to call “building with a needle”—since I was four years old and began teaching embroidery to adults when I was just 12. My journey took an interesting turn when I attended MIT, earning a PhD in engineering and eventually helping to establish the field of Electronic Textiles. Along the way, I never lost my passion for history, especially through coursework that explored how materials science can be used as an archaeological tool. This blend of engineering and history has shaped much of my approach to embroidery, and I consider myself a historian of textile materials culture through my work.
I’ve founded several companies within the textile industry. Thistle Threads is dedicated to reviving 17th- and 18th-century materials and techniques, while also expanding the narrative of embroidery in historical texts. With two partners, I also founded Tokens and Trifles, a company that brings back 19th-century decorative-edged perforated paper, using technology I’m familiar with from my engineering background. Additionally, I founded Fabric Works, where I developed e-textile technologies and products. It’s been quite a whirlwind, but when you have many passions, that’s just how it goes! Much of my work has grown out of my unique way of thinking, influenced by my experience as a dyslexic, which shapes how I approach both engineering and embroidery.
One of my greatest passions is teaching STEM to kids. Many of you may have followed the ups and downs of my two FIRST robotics teams over the past two decades. I’m happy to report that those students have now gone on to college in technical fields and are becoming great contributors to society—hopefully, some will go on to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. I remain actively involved in STEM education, working with primary schools, universities, and often being tapped for projects, guest lectures, or serving on working groups.
I also had the privilege of leading the Plimoth Jacket project, a reproduction of a 1620s English embroidered waistcoat. It was an incredible project, which we documented on a blog that reached a global audience and was exhibited several times. We invited many of you to stitch on the project, and it truly propelled my work in reproducing 17th-century caskets and the materials used during that time.
Lately, I’ve been focused on publishing my insights into historical embroidery. I collaborate with universities and museums on projects that combine my "embodied knowledge" of embroidery, my scientific approach to studying textiles, business knowledge of the field, and understanding of how materials were engineered and made during the period. These unique experiences have allowed me to identify evidence in primary sources that has been overlooked in the past. For example, I’ve been able to uncover metallurgical methods from the period in texts, leading to new ways of dating pieces. Many of these publications are in progress, and I’ll be highlighting them to my mailing list as they come to fruition.
Indirectly, all those who purchase materials or take my classes are contributing to this ongoing research, helping to rewrite the historical record.
The goal of Thistle Threads is to bring back techniques from the past in a manner that appeals to the embroiderer of today. I strive to provide you with a quality experience and search the world for fabulous materials to enhance the time you spend on your creation.
My mission is to:
The best way to contact me is to use email: tricia@alum.mit.edu