Julia Mitchell using a hand-held tufting gun at Cabin Crafts, c.1940 (2020.006.0029)
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- Date
- c.1940
- Held by
- Bandy Heritage Center for Northwest Georgia, Dalton State College
- Collection
- David Stevenson collection (accession 2020.006)
- Number
- 2020.006.0029
- Themes
- Machine tufting & Dalton, Tools & equipment
Cite this source
Research notes
Photograph. Catalogue description: "Julia Mitchell using a hand-held tufting gun to stitch in a floral pattern on a bedspread at Cabin Crafts. The bedspread is held in place within a circular frame that grants Mitchell easier access to all areas of the bedspread. A second tufting operator sits at a frame next to Mitchell, and an empty frame is positioned next to the second woman. A supervisor stands behind the second operator viewing her progress." Date: c.1940. Why it matters: Hand tools and the gun, open questions "the earliest dated motorised or air tufting gun in production use" and "a dated photograph of a hand gun in use in Dalton": a hand-held tufting gun in factory use c. 1940, matching the Vanishing Georgia "electric needlepunch gun" photograph of Cabin Crafts, c. 1941 (wtf225). Related: Cabin Crafts workers "using air-driven hand tufters" on round frames (Deaton Collection 2010.003.0095c, undated). Found: Bandy Heritage Center (PastPerfect), search "tufting gun", 2026-10-28.