Marguerite, like all the stitch faces, is very interested in repurposing and recycling, and the Cooper Hewitt strikes her as a great example: a Gilded Age mansion repurposed into a design museum/fun house.

Andrew Carnegie built his mansion from 1899 to 1902, having asked his architects to design “the most modest, plainest, and most roomy house in New York.” The “most roomy” part they seem to have achieved. The rest of it, perhaps not so much, although everything is relative when it comes to Gilded Age mansions.

When Marguerite visits the Cooper Hewitt, she loves, on one hand, to imagine living here in the past, a past that design-wise meant carved ceilings, paneled walls, columns, Tiffany glass. In particular, she likes to sit in the conservatory and gaze out over the gardens onto Fifth Avenue and into the Park and pretend it’s 100 years ago.

On the other hand, she likes to play with the touch screens and the interactive pen.

The Cooper Hewitt is a little random in its juxtapositions of past and present. Perhaps most of all in the “Immersion Room,” where, at the touch of your finger, you can project any of the Museum’s collection of historic wallpapers onto the walls. Then, you can design your own.

Marguerite likes her drawing but when it tessellates on the walls it’s maybe a tiny bit creepy. A useful lesson about the truth of the saying “too much of a good thing. “

Marguerite is made out of an old waffle-knit long-sleeved t-shirt. The waffle-knit material has a lot of give, and so Marguerite ended up being a little larger than her sisters. I have been asked more than once whether she was made from a different pattern. No, I say. She’s cut from the exact same pattern, she’s just made of more generous stuff.

Marguerite’s sweater-dress is made of two different worn-out sweaters, embellished with heart-shaped buttons given to me by my friend Deirdre. Her boots are made from an upholstery sample from my friend Anne.

My daughter (finally!) cleared out some of her drawers and came up with some treasures for Marguerite including the change purse and chain that became her handbag. But absolutely best of all: pink sea-urchin magnetic earrings (talk about random) from before my daughter got her ears pierced. Magnetic earrings, apparently, are kind of painful, but Marguerite does not mind.

The precious little life that has come to us needs the Park and sunshine.

—Andrew Carnegie