"Stitching her Niche," lecture by milliner Monika Stebbins at METC

The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts (METC), 9 Main Street, Madison, NJ will present Stitching her Niche - How the millinery trade opened the door to women's economic independence in the 18th century by Monika Stebbins on Sunday, April 24th at 2 p.m. Price $10, includes admission to METC. Registration required due to limited space. Contact Erin O'Donnell at 973-377-2982 ext. 16 or coordinator@metc.org for reservations.

Mrs. Stebbins is a Madison-based milliner, owner of the newly opened Hat Shop Madison, and co-curator of METC's current exhibit, The Milliner's Tale: The Craft of Hat Making, which runs until June 29, 2016. Classically trained in Germany and England with masters Christel Glock and Richard Lang, Mrs. Stebbins also has depth of knowledge about the history of millinery and how it affected women's roles in the workplace.

"As I studied the craft and history of hat making, I learned that the millinery trade, along with dressmaking and other sewing industries, provided women with an acceptable occupation at a time when few women worked outside the home," said Mrs. Stebbins. "By the mid-19th century, women began to take their place as shopkeepers and business owners who could make their own way in the world."

This lecture will take place in the Main Gallery of METC and guests will be able to tour The Milliner's Tale before or after the lecture.

Explore American history with a focus on the life and stories of 18th- and 19th- century craftsmen and artisans. Drawing on its rich collection, METC is connecting the lives of people and their stories, while providing a bridge from the past to the future. Housed in a stunning Richardsonian Romanesque Revival building donated by D. Willis James to the people of Madison, NJ in 1900, METC offers something for visitors of all ages. Regular METC admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, students & children 6 and older, and free for members and children under 6. Family maximum admission $15.00. METC is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Sunday Noon to 5 P.M. Closed Monday & Major Holidays

METC is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. - 9 Main Street, Madison - 973-377-2982 - metc.org