HSM 2019: Challenge 3 - Sewing Kit

March Challenge 3 - SEWING KIT: create an item that makes use of your favourite sewing tool, instrument, or gadget; or an item made for your historical sewing kit.

When sewing historical clothing, I usually use our modern stuff, unless I´m giving demos to publick. It is quicker and more convinient to mark with frixation pen and cut with sharp steinless stell scissors with soft grips. But sometimes, it is lovely to use old fashioned seewing tools, especially when it is inherited from ancestors. I feel so special when pulling needles out of tiny metal case used my mother´s mother in 1930´s! But not everyone is so lucky to have antique items, so here are few inspirations:

What about tracing patterns with old fashioned wheel?

Promotion photo for exhibition "Master Tailor" in Hornické muzeum Příbram, Czech Rep.

Interesting method was used in 18th century for taking measures - just plain paper strips where notches were made. It could be inspiring to try it for actual pattern making. For details see this blog post.

Detail from Diderot´s Encyclopedia showing tailors´ paper tapes with client´s measures taken.

Lovely 18th centurey trims could be done with help of what is today called tatting shutle, just search web for "fly fringes tutorials". Even simple pattern in colors coordinated with fabrick is great finishing touch.

Detail of trim on 1750´s - 1770´s gown, Victoria&Albert Museum, London

Golden shuttle, 1764 - 1765, MET Museum

Ordinary carpenter´s chisel would work fine for slashing, method popular in 16th and 17th century. Unlike 18th centry pinking, no special expensive reproduction tool needed!

Detail of early 17th century Cloak, Victoria&Albert Museum, London

Stiletto / bodkin is another great help for making lacing holes and/or thread buttons. Preferably it is made from bone, but smooth wooden stick would do it too. (Btw, click on photo bellow, there it a cool story behind this ordinary stiletto.)

Bone stilletto, 1880 - 1900, Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

Victorian sewing clasps are quite well known but buying antique one is expensive. But there is an other possibility, much cheaper and versatile - try sewing cushion stuffed with sawdust for long seams as well as stroke gathering (just pin fabrick to curhion surface). Almost indispencible help when sewing shirts, shiftch, smocks or chemises.

Gabriel Metsu, Woman Reading Letter, mid 1660´s

There is an another obtion, sew the sewing cushion - so we are shifting from sewing with sewing kit to sewing for sewing kit. What about this lovely sewing basket with two pincushions?

Sewing basket, around 1900, Philadeplhia Museum of Art

Or just pincushion alone... but even single pincushion could be true art piece. I love this one combined with sewing box. It is too pretty to stuck pins into it.

Sewing box, 18th century, MET Museum

There could be also very simple pincushions, featuret for exaple on still lives.

Samuel van Hoogstraten, Still Life, detail, 1664

Last but not least - iconic housewife. Case for sewing tools, in fact row of tiny pockets of fancy fabrics and red woolen leaves for needles on bottom.

Sewing case, late 18th century, MET Museum

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