Period Sewing Tools

[Lady_Claira]

I'm asking here because it is related to sewing and if anything I am sure that you would know.

I am playing a seamstress at CTRF this year and I was asked by the street director to carry around a bunch of period - ish sewing tools. (It's hard for us to be completely period as it is an Arthurian/Merlan story) I have pulled out a bunch of my plain fabric scraps, some needles (which I'm threading before I go just because I don't have spools that could work) some leather thimbles and a bunch of metal, wooden, and shell buttons (which I might carry with me, I don't know)

What kinds of period-ish sewing items are there that I could easily get ahold of and carry around with me so that I can be more of the part of a seamstress?

[Dayna]

Stick some pins in your bodice, and carry your needles in a needlebook (embroidered or needlepointed outer cover with fabric "pages").  Scissors can be hard to find that look period enough, but if you have little embroidery scissors that have metal handles that does in a pinch.  I also carry a length of twine or yarn with knots in it every few inches, it's a period measuring tape.

Dayna

[GirlChris]

Ta da!

http://coblaith.net/PeriodPresents/SewingKit/default.html

[Tixi]

jeez... i wish someone sold those ready-made!

[Lady_Claira]

unilady - Ooo, I had thought of sticking some threaded needles in my hair bun, but I like putting them into my bodice better. I also like the needlebook idea. That will give me a project to work on right now as well! HUZZAH!

GirlChris - Thanks a ton for that link. You just solved my dilema on spools of thread! I was going to have a bunch of needles pre-threaded but that would be really annoying if I ran out of thread, especially since I cannot promise that I'll be able to make it to the green room (our backstage chill area) to rethread my needles. That would solve the issue. Especially if I had some small metal scissors with me.

Tixi - I completely agree! LOL! It would be so much easier than putting together my own set up.

[Dayna]

When I'm doing beading projects, I often set up the beads in order on a length of thread OR loaded on long pins so that I can just pull out a pin and there's the next "set" in the pattern.  Saves trying to find period looking little boxes and digging around in them with the always popular "let's knock the tin of #11 seed beads over into the grass!"

You can also put two extra "pages" into the needlebook, sew the side and bottom shut, and voila there's a pocket for your thread holders.

Dayna

[Lady L]

a bone awl

[GirlChris]

jeez... i wish someone sold those ready-made!

Might I take this opportunity to say Ta da a couple of more times?

http://www.fetteredcockpewters.com/page_sewing.htm
http://historicenterprises.biz/sewing-kit-p-831.html?cPath=102_174

[bellalye]

*applause*  Nice find!