Happy Friday to you!! As some of you may already know, I LOVE PINCUSHIONS!!! Insert...(understatement). Anywho, I thought I would share a very primitive stained pincushion that I made from a Stacy Nash pattern called "Netty's Sampler - Pinkeep Drum". I love the dark tones and the flavors of thread I stitched it in. I stuffed it with sawdust and voila...here is Miss Prim (the beautiful peacock)in all her glory. Now I am laughing at myself as it should be Mister Prim, as the female species is called a "peahen"!!! Whatever.....
DID YOU KNOW.....
that as early as the 1300's, pins were carried around in a pouch?
Metal pins were very costly and hard to find, so a special container was very important! During the 1400's carriers came into fashion.
These early pins carriers were made of ivory, bone, or silver. At the time names such as pin keeper, pin poppet and tuffet were popular.
At the beginning of the 1700's pin-pillows came into use. Usually delicately embroidered and made from finer fabrics such as linen, canvas or satin. Hanging ball pincushions were found in many parlors. Soon pin-pillows evolved into mounted cushions. Silver or wooden stands were topped with these cushions.
Pincushions from the 1600's through the 1800's were most popular and more decorative. On some, the pins were the decoration. At this time pincushions came in the forms of eggcups, baskets, china, metal, and glass.
During the early 1900's pincushions became useful sewing aids. Clamp pincushions were decorative and functional. They would be screwed onto a table edge and also would help to hold fabric in place.
One of the most well recognized is the
tomato. People believed that placing a tomato in the entree area of their home would bring prosperity. Since tomatoes, at that time, were not available year round, people would make red balls of fabric stuffed with straw or sawdust. These would eventually be used as pincushions!
In today's world, pincushions play an important part of our sewing history and a collectible that comes in many, many shapes, sizes and forms.
Until next time......Smiles
Jolene
