Embroidered sewing roll-up

Textile

-

BLUE: The TATTER Textile Library

Name/Title

Embroidered sewing roll-up

Entry/Object ID

2018.1.1

Description

Natural-colored sewing roll with hand embroidery in various shades of blue, featuring a central meandering floral vine motif covering vertical length of the exterior. The reverse of the roll-up is unadorned and contains one pocket at the bottom, four open-ended channels, and one open-ended pocket running most of the vertical length of the roll.

Textile Type

Sewing Roll

Use

Pouch used to hold needles, pins, and other smalls. Designed to roll for easy carry and transport.

Collection

Glee Krueger Collection

Category

Accessories

Acquisition

Accession

2018.1

Made/Created

Artist

Unknown maker

Date made

1790

Place

City

Unknown place of origin

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Embroidered

Location

Top

Transcription

“NM / Collin Port 1790"

Lexicon

Getty AAT

Concept

pouches

Search Terms

hussifs, sewing rolls

Dimensions

Height

14 cm

Width

3.75 cm

Materials

Material

Silk, Satin, Embroidery Floss

Material Notes

Silk (visual estimate), satin, and chain-stitched embroidery.

Location

Box

Box 21

Cabinet

Object Cabinet

Room

Studio

Web Links and URLs

"The Sewing Rollup" by Eloise Seda, November 2021.

Research Notes

Notes

Relevant books: 1. Antique American Needlework Tools (Dawn Cook Ronningen) 2. Merchant & Mills Sewing Book (Carolyn N.K. Denham

General Notes

Note Type

Historical Note

Note

Additional information: Both contemporarily and historically, this object has had a variety of names, including: Sewing Roll-up, Sewing Roll, Huswif or Hussif (housewife), Mending Roll, or Sewing Kit. Sewing rolls are small sewing kits that can be rolled up or folded for convenient travel and portability. They are typically rectangular in shape and feature small inside pockets and needle pages. More advanced rolls can also include thimble holders, scissor sheaths, drawstring bags, and pincushions. The materials used range from simple cottons, to more expensive velvets, silks, or wool. It is common for sewing rolls to be adorned with the initials or name of the owner or maker, and the date or year that it was made. Highly decorative sewing rolls can include exterior and interior hand embroidery, silk ribbon, buttons, and colorful decorative lining. Historically, both men and women used sewing rolls. While sewing tended to be a woman’s chore, they were a typical staple of a man’s travel set and it was common for soldiers and sailors to utilize them while away. Notable collections of sewing rolls can be found at the Winterthur Museum, Chester County Historical Society, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.