She Was An Upholsterer, Not A Seamstress

One of the interesting facts about Betsy Ross is that she was an upholsterer, not a seamstress. Even though Betsy is frequently referred to as a seamstress, she had formal upholstering training. Although it is a wonderful profession, Betsy Ross did not work as a seamstress. In reality, Betsy was a brilliant upholsterer. A skillful and well-known Philadelphia upholsterer named John Webster hired Betsy as an apprentice after she finished her official schooling at a school for Quaker kids. She had received training in the creation and maintenance of all types of household upholstery. She worked with Webster for a number of years, learning how to create and fix curtains, bedcovers, tablecloths, carpets, umbrellas, and Venetian blinds in addition to doing other sewing-related tasks. Betsy was a talented craftswoman who could make anything, from draperies to couches to flags (all decent homes had handcrafted flags at the time).

The Griscom family employed professionals. Her grandpa was a carpenter, and Betsy's father was a farmer. When she was little, her great aunt taught her how to sew. She honed her sewing skills to a high level.