Housewife contents

[Dreamer42]

Hello all,
I just spent about thirty minutes in the SEARCH mode trying to dig up some info on what, exactly, one would store in his housewife. Found great stuff on making them and various histories of folding scissors, etc, but nothing that I'm looking for. I'm making two of them for my impresions, and would like to fill them. The patterns I have are made with five pockets. And I'm wondering what more one can put in those pockets besides thread, bits of material for repairs, needles and a few buttons. I have a pair of period scissors that will be kept in a poke sack. Specifically, I just need to know if there are items my 21st century brain doesn't know existed back then.
Thanks.

- Jay Reid
9th Texas

[paulcalloway]

Re: Housewife contents

Be careful not to overthink this - I think you've already answered your own question.

If you have Echoes of Glory, see page 222-223 of the Union for housewife ideas. Page 213 EOG - Confederate.

Buttons, Thread (a couple ways of doing this - on spool or wrapped around strip of cloth), buttons, needles, patchcloth... thats exactly the stuff you want in there.

[Andrew Keehan]

Re: Housewife contents

I carry a bit of bees wax in my kit for waxing the thread. This can also be used for chapped lips or relining a canteen or any number of other applications.

[Spinster]

Re: Housewife contents

Contents depend on how much of a sewing job you anticipate doing, and the extent of your own mending skills, but:

A small lump of beeswax for waxing your thread. This will make a world of difference in keeping the thread from tangling while you are sewing.

Different types of thread--not so much colors, though that's a nice thing, but weights--a heavier thread for mending canvas or shoes, a strong linen for buttons.

A thimble or leather palm

Period hooks and eyes--or just the hooks, and rely on making a thread eye.

Twill tape, such as is used in drawers.

Replacement roller buckle for braces.

Spare shoe laces.

Specialty needles--glovers, leather, or darners

Sock wool or sock cotton for mending holes or thin places.

A cloth tape measure, hand marked on twill tape, or other small measuring device.

Possibly an item of sentiment as well--a silk ribbon or cockade, or a small picture.

[NoahBriggs]

Re: Housewife contents

A great source for housewife contents (and a lot of other things on soldier material culture and methods and the person) is the second edition of the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium It's about thirty five bucks and available through da Watchdog.

[CJDaley]

Re: Housewife contents

Nothing like primary sources folks:

"The young ladies (sisters, of course) brought an invention, usually made of leather or cloth, containing needles, pins, thread, buttons, and scissors, so that nearly every recruit had an embryo tailor's shop, with the goose outside. "
---Recollections of a Private, Warren Lee Goss, The Century Magazine, Vol. XXIX, Nov., 1884

[JerseySkilletLicker]

Re: Housewife contents

One primary source states that the sewing kit was also used as a wallet of sorts...keeping stamps and paper notes in it.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Housewife contents

Hello all,
I just spent about thirty minutes in the SEARCH mode trying to dig up some info on what, exactly, one would store in his housewife.
- Jay Reid
9th Texas

Jay,

In the archived article, "The Case of the Lost Thimble," in Virginia's Veranda on our web page, there is a section on housewives. Primary source information about housewives is near the end of the article, just before the bibliography. It is a fairly long article with lots of pictures so it may take awhile to load, depending on your connection.

[Dreamer42]

Re: Housewife contents

"The young ladies (sisters, of course) brought an invention, usually made of leather or cloth, containing needles, pins, thread, buttons, and scissors, so that nearly every recruit had an embryo tailor's shop, with the goose outside. "
---Recollections of a Private, Warren Lee Goss, The Century Magazine, Vol. XXIX, Nov., 1884

Is this from THE Century War Book about the CW, or just a montly publication where you found the article?

Thanks to all. I plan on keeping the list very short. Straight pins is about all I believe I need. Was there a major difference between today's and back then?

Thanks, Paul. My Union/Confed EOG, as well as three other books (Time/Life "Tenting Tonight" incl), have thus far been my only visual sources. I just finished sewing my second housewife last night and it looks quite good. That blasted tape is getting harder to see at my age though (I hate to admit).

Thanks again for the info.

- Jay Reid
9th Texas

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Housewife contents

[I]
Thanks to all. I plan on keeping the list very short. Straight pins is about all I believe I need. Was there a major difference between today's and back then?

Modern pins are very similar to mid-19th century pins, except that modern pins are nickel plated steel. Period pins were a little bit longer and a bit larger in diameter but other than the length and material, they look much the same as modern pins, especially since period pins were usually whitened or tinned.

Here is a brief synopsis of how pins were made. Period pins were made from drawn brass wire. The wire was cut into lengths of two pins, pointed at each end and cut in the middle. If the heads were made separately, they made by twisting wire, cutting it into "heads" and then applying the head to the blunt end of the pin. If the heads were one piece, the blunt end was "smooshed" and the head was formed (The disadvantage of the one piece pins is that the wire had been tempered to make it softer so the pins were not as strong.). After heading, the pins were cleaned in a solution of a weak acid or cream of tartar. They were then tinned or "whitened" by placing the pins between layers of grain-tin and cream of tartar and boiling them until they are coated with the tin. The pins are then cleaned by shaking them in leather bags that contained bran. The bran was then blown away in a "blowing machine" and then the pins were placed in papers.

The heads of earlier pins were tightly coiled but by our time period were old fashioned and I doubt that many of those kinds still existed.

[Lone Guard]

Re: Housewife contents

I had recently added some beeswax, I don't know how I ever did without it.

[BishopLynch]

Re: Housewife contents

In The Life of Billy Yank by Bell Wiley there is a drawing of a housewife with some of its larger contents. One interesting item I noted was a comb.