Merklappenmuseum
Private house museum in Dieteren with historic merklappen (embroidered marking cloths), darning cloths and embroidery samplers, including Europe's oldest embroidery sampler from 1572.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Merklappenmuseum is a private house museum in Dieteren, a village in the municipality of Echt-Susteren. It goes back to the collecting passion of Har and Mariëtte Verheggen-Penders, who have gathered historic embroidery samplers since 1987. In 1995 the collection found its place in the couple's own home, where the museum is still run today.
Merklappen are embroidered practice cloths that girls aged about 6 to 12 used to make, usually at school, to learn embroidery and how to mark laundry. The museum also shows stopflappen (darning cloths), which older schoolgirls aged 12 to 18 embroidered, as well as elaborate showpieces that combine several techniques and can be up to twelve meters long. The pieces come from the Netherlands and many other European countries, including Belgium, Germany, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Hungary and Switzerland. The oldest piece, an embroidery sampler from 1572, is considered the oldest in Europe.
The collection is complemented by old lace as well as needlework and pattern books, for example from the publishers DMC and Sajou. The couple also inherited library holdings from the former Hoeve de Waerd museum. Besides guided tours, there are lectures with slide presentations on the history and symbolism of merklappen.
Highlights
- Oldest known embroidery sampler in Europe, from 1572
- Merklappen, darning cloths and showpieces from several European countries
- Showpieces up to twelve meters long
- Old lace as well as needlework and pattern books (incl. DMC, Sajou)
- Two-hour guided tour with coffee or tea and vlaai
Permanent exhibition
- Sammlung historischer Merklappen – Displayed are merklappen and darning cloths, showpieces and embroidery samplers with motifs from many European countries, as well as pattern books.
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- Privatmuseum von Har und Mariëtte Verheggen-Penders
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is in the residence at Kerkstraat 61 in Dieteren (municipality of Echt-Susteren).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Coffee or tea with Limburg vlaai is served during the tour.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits by guided tour only (about 2 hours) after telephone registration; coffee or tea with vlaai is included. In addition, lectures of about 90 minutes on the history and symbolism of merklappen are offered, including discussion of visitors' own pieces brought along. |
