Eleanor Beard

THE STUDIO'S NAMESAKE

The Eleanor Beard Studio was founded in 1921 by Eleanor Beard in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. The business began when Eleanor discovered a surplus of wool. Her husband owned a general store, and with the Great Depression looming, he was often paid in wool by local farmers who had no cash.

The wool itself had little value, but after cleaning and batting it, Eleanor began taking orders for quilts and commissioned local needlewomen—many of whom worked from home—to sew them. During her early travels to Europe, she had studied quilt patterns and the technique of trapunto, a form of raised quilting that would come to define her signature style.

At its height, her business employed more than 1,000 women in Breckinridge County. To this day, many families in the area credit the Eleanor Beard Studio with their survival, as women were able to provide for their households through quilting when men could not find work.

renowned for quality

As the business grew, the Eleanor Beard name became synonymous with luxury. The collection expanded from quilts to include blanket covers, sheeting, table linens, bedclothes, and bath accessories—all meticulously handmade and distinct from the mass-produced offerings of the time. Each piece was created to last, becoming a treasured family heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

A PLace for female creativity

The success of the enterprise grew to include shops in New York, Chicago, and other cities, which she envisioned as social clubs where women could gather, relax, and connect while they shopped. The products made their way into homes across the United States—including those of some of the country’s most influential families.

Leontine Linens’ showroom, updated in 2022, builds upon this same spirit of creativity and community, offering a modern expression of the salon experience Eleanor envisioned a century ago.

A new partnership

While searching for her own new linens as a bride-to-be, Jane Scott Hodges visited the Eleanor Beard Studio with her mother to select pieces for her trousseau. She immediately recognized the remarkable talent and artistry of the women who worked there and soon began selling their handcrafted linens under the name Leontine Linens.

When the studio was set to close, Jane Scott and her husband, Philip Hodges, purchased the historic workroom in 2002—ensuring that its legacy, craftsmanship, and century-old tradition of hand-guided making would endure.  The photo to the right was taken at the time of the acquisition.

Eleanor Beard Today

Since taking on the role of steward to this historic American company, Jane Scott Hodges has remained authentic to the hand-guided processes that the studio has used for over a century.

Today, as Leontine’s sister company, the Eleanor Beard Studio remains a cherished part of the company’s story. The photo to the left was taken in 2021, marking the studio’s 100th anniversary.