Another idea from 'Jane Austen's Sewing Box'. A huswife was used by women in the Regency era to store their threads, and such like, for sewing. So I thought it would be fabulously useful for re-enactments, for storing my threads and scissors in. Despite being labeled as "Beginner" and the workbag "Intermediate", I found it much harder then the workbag (though I suspect the workbag gained its rating due to the embroidery work - which I didn't do!!) I probably would have found the task of making it, much more straight forward than I did, if I was more up on all the materials that are used in sewing. The book called for wadding to be sandwiched between the outer fabric and the lining. Not knowing what wadding was, but having an inkling that it was some kind of "stuffing" material, I decided to use some stuffing I had removed from a cushion that I had made at school when I was about 12 (it had seen better days!!). This was a monumentally stupid idea, and everything went horrendously wrong. The wadding had to be sewn onto the outer material in diagonal lines, and not only was it impossible to keep the lines straight when trying to sew the stuffing to the material, it was nigh-on impossible to keep the lines exactly 3cms apart, which the book said you should!! Also the stuffing kept getting caught on the sewing machine foot, so after about half an hour I gave up and decided to see if the local haberdashery sold any wadding. Thankfully it did and the next day, after spending over an hour unpicking what I had done the night before, I used the correct type of wadding and managed to finish the huswife without any further mishaps!!
The huswife folded - you might notice that it is made out of the same material as my toile Regency gown. It is from the same duvet set - the gown was made out of the duvet cover and the huswife, one of the pillow cases :) !!
A close-up of the material
The inside of the huswife. The ribbon is to secure a pair of scissors, but I have yet to locate a pair that doesn't look ultra modern with plastic handles. I am hoping to find a nice metal pair that could pass as Regency.
A close up of the trim
The back
It looks very pretty. I like the fabric.
ReplyDeleteI really need to make one of those. At the moment I have to carry my embroidery stuff in a plastic carry bag. I might use the patchwork (can't stand wasting fabric, any scrap goes into patchwork) I've just done to make it. I even have a patchwork shoe/instrument bag.