author
Margaret C. (Margaret Christine) Whiting
1860–1946
An artist, writer, and designer at the heart of Deerfield’s Arts and Crafts revival, she helped turn a love of wildflowers and early New England embroidery into enduring books and handmade art. Her work blends careful observation, historical curiosity, and a strong practical sense.
1 Audiobook
Wild flowers of the north-eastern states : Being three hundred and eight individuals common to the north-eastern United States
by Ellen Miller, Margaret C. (Margaret Christine) Whiting
About the author
Born in Chester, Massachusetts, Margaret C. Whiting later made Deerfield her home and became known for both her artistic training and her deep interest in local craft traditions. In 1895, she and fellow artist Ellen Miller published Wild Flowers of the North-eastern States, an illustrated guide drawn from life that reflected Whiting’s close attention to the natural world.
Whiting is especially remembered as a co-founder of the Deerfield Society of Blue and White Needlework, begun with Miller in 1896. The society revived and reinterpreted early New England embroidery, and Whiting played a central role as a designer, teacher, and organizer. Her eye for pattern and history helped shape some of the best-known work associated with Deerfield’s Arts and Crafts movement.
Alongside her design work, she also wrote about embroidery and helped preserve regional decorative traditions by studying older textiles and adapting their motifs for new audiences. That mix of artistry, research, and hands-on making gives her work a lasting appeal.