Civil War "Housewife" / SOLD

Civil War soldiers did not have many extra items of clothing, so the clothing they wore took a lot of wear and tear. Soldiers were often sent off to war with "housewives" or small sewing kits made by their wives, mothers, or girlfriends. These were usually made from scraps of fabric or sometimes leather, and could be folded or rolled to pocket-size, and then fastened with ribbon, yarn, or a button. They contained essential sewing supplies such as needles, pins, thread, buttons, a small pair of scissors, extra scraps of fabric, and possibly a thimble. When a soldier needed to sew on a button or mend a tear, all the necessary supplies would be at hand. This example is made of pink leather and unrolls to reveal two silk interior pockets and a cotton flap for storing needles. The interior roll has a pocket with a bone thimble stored inside. The roll is 5" wide and measures 11' in length when unrolled. A nice addition to a display of soldier's personal effects. 

Inventory Number: PER 374 / SOLD