The art of embroidery has been around for centuries and spans most cultures around the world. Taking needle and thread to fabric or other materials to create beautiful scenes or patterns, embroidery is both challenging and gratifying. The variety of stitches, techniques, and colors, adds to the complexity and richness of embroidery. Through the ages, embroidery has been used to decorate ceremonial attire, religious objects, household objects, book bindings, wall hangings, pillow cases, denim work shirts, and much more. Machine embroidery emerged during the Industrial Revolution and now embroidery appears on items such as polo shirts and baseball hats. Hand embroidery remains a vital part of society and like sourdough bread baking, stitching has become increasingly popular during the pandemic. February is designated as National Embroidery Month; join us in celebration by checking out one of these embroidery-related titles from our collection listed on our WU Reads Reading Guide.
Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
It is generally true that winter is a pretty chilly time of the year in the Pacific Northwest so it is the perfect time for all of us to work on our ability to chill out! Campus life is hectic with teaching, learning, working on papers and projects, studying, participating in sports, clubs, music groups, internships and so much more. Then you add into the mix all the events going on in the world and our minds are whirling! We all need a reprieve from the hustle and bustle surrounding us and as the semester rushes to a close, maybe we should spend part of winter break in the pursuit of, well, nothing! Or at the very least, let’s all just spend some time taking it easy, playing, goofing off, relaxing, and rejuvenating! Winter break provides the ideal opportunity for all of us to explore the lost art of leisure. So check out one of the leisure-related books listed on our 
November is National Native American Heritage Month (also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month) and as such, it is the perfect time to reflect on the rich and varied traditions, languages, and contributions of the indigenous peoples of North America. As of 2020, over seven million Native Americans and Native Alaskans live in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There are over 500 federally recognized tribes, representing hundreds of different cultures. Native peoples many achievements in the areas of art, literature, music, dance, sports, cuisine, farming, and more are impressive but it is also important to recognize and acknowledge the struggles and hardships experienced by Native Americans both in the past and the present. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, check out a selection of the Hatfield Library’s recent materials by or about Native Americans (including books by Joy Harjo, the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate) on our 
It’s that spooky, creepy, scary, time of the year filled with bats, black cats, ghouls, pumpkins, and all sorts of autumnal fun! Yes, it’s time to carve jack-o’-lanterns, roast pumpkin seeds, and stock up on Halloween candy. The weather is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter, so grab your coziest sweater, your favorite hot beverage, and settle down in your comfiest chair with a good Halloween-related read! Have a look at a great selection of titles available from the Hatfield Library and listed on our 
