Tot op de draad jurk

Threadbare

Stories about the Japanese occupation in textiles

April 18 to September 7, 2025

To mark 80 years of freedom, we present a new exhibition about World War II in the former Dutch East Indies.

For the first time, embroidered works and clothing from women's camps take center stage, showcasing the creativity and resilience of women during times of great uncertainty and scarcity.

In needle and thread

The exhibition features embroidered tablecloths and napkins, dresses made from parachute fabric and other scraps, and even personalized camp numbers. Through needle and thread, women told their stories about the Japanese occupation, embroidering painful, touching, and even humorous camp scenes.​

Tot op de Draad - Draadwerk (1)

They also offered a form of silent resistance by secretly including references to the red-white-blue of the Dutch flag or the orange of the Royal House. Outside the camps, Indo-European women made clothing to make ends meet while their husbands were in captivity.​

The exhibition shows how needlework was not only an outlet but also a means of survival, both inside and outside the camps.​

Previews

Campagnebeeld M O Tot Op De Draad (Blauw)
Tot op de Draad - Draadwerk (3)
Wandkleed gemaakt als herinnering aan Semarang
Geborduurd kampnummer
Geborduurd kampnummer
M O Todd Workshop 3 1 (Foto: de Naaierij)
Patchwork-workshop
M O Todd Naaierij 1
Isabel en Roosmarijn van de Naaierij
Tot op de draad jurk
Jurk gemaakt uit verschillende lapjes stof

Contemporary relevance

Today, we can learn a lot from the ingenuity of these strong women. The parachute dress is a good example of recycling and creative use of existing materials.

To engage a younger audience, the museum organizes repair and embroidery workshops where visitors can work with textiles themselves, inspired by the stories and techniques from the collection. We collaborate with the sustainable repair studio De Naaierij for these workshops. 

Tot op de Draad - Jurk (1)

Collaborations

Additionally, with the help of the youth group Jong 1508, the museum facilitates conversations between different generations about this past.​

Roosmarijn and Isabel, the women behind repair studio De Naaierij, believe there is already enough clothing in the world. To encourage people to be more conscious and creative with their clothing, they repair garments in a visible way, following the principle of visible mending.​

They also teach courses and workshops on how to repair clothing yourself. For these workshops at Museon-Omniversum, they explored the museum's depot and drew inspiration from the craftsmanship in our collection.​

Workshops (in Dutch)

M O Todd Workshop 1 (Foto: de Naaierij)

Create your own fabric painting arrow right

M O Todd Workshop 2 1

Make your own brooch arrow right

M O Todd Workshop 3 1 (Foto: de Naaierij)

Craft your own patchwork art​ arrow right