Exhibits Special Exhibitions: How did local women in the small Vermont town of Middlebury dress themselves and how did they deal with their burgeoning aspirations to keep up with the fashionable trends trickling in from the larger world? From Homespun to Couture offers a window onto the sartorial tastes of local women and the growing Middlebury tailoring scene from the 1800s to the early 20th century. Historic photographs, fashion publications, business advertisements and merchants’ ledgers, dresses, bonnets, shoes, and fashion accessories from the Museum’s archival and object collections on display reveal what Middlebury made, wore, and purchased in the town’s early days. Jerry DeGraff, a native Vermonter from Essex Junction, served four years in the Navy before working many years in local building trades. As he honed his skills as a craftsman, a Christmas gift in 1994 gave him the motivation to try his skills at another trade - constructing model boats from scratch. Model Boats: The Craftsmanship of Jerry DeGraff features DeGraff’s fine skills and attention to detail. Thanks to our 2024 Exhibit Sponsor Past Exhibits