In the early nineteenth century, Martha Washington's granddaughter, Eliza Parke Custis Law, constructed this needlecase, one of many she created as mementoes of the nation's First Lady. The cross-stitch panels on the cover were cut from chair cushions with a scallop shell pattern worked by Martha Washington, while the lining was cut from one of Mrs. Washington's silk dresses. The cross-stitch fragments retain much of their original brilliance and offer a rare glimpse of the strong colors that would have enlivened the Little Parlor at Mount Vernon.