Art
In early 1900s New York, families living in crowded tenements earned money by doing piecework at home—sewing, lace-making, and other crafts. This photograph captures a mother and teenage daughter making pillow lace in their kitchen, turning their living space into a workplace to help pay rent.
Art · Full story
The kitchen is dim and cluttered, but Mrs. Palontona's hands move with practiced precision over the lace pillow. Her daughter works beside her, fingers flying through the same motions she has learned by watching. The fancy lace they create will sell for pennies—but those pennies matter.
Reflect
What work happens in your home today? How has that changed from a century ago?