My case exhibit in Bullard Tavern, a companion to the Nathan Lombard show, traces the history of the sewing clamp. This handy gadget, which typically included a vise and a pincushion, could be fastened to the edge of a table. The seamstress could then pin her fabric to the cushion and pull it taut, speeding up her work. By the mid-19th century, manufacturers were producing the devices in a variety of whimsical shapes; metal “sewing birds,” which held fabric in their spring-loaded beaks, became especially popular in the U.S. and are highly collectible today.