HOUSEWIVES
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These sewing kits, known to soldiers as "housewives," are an invaluable item in the field. They came in a variety of sizes and colors. Generally, ours are made with a black oilcloth backing and a tape-bound edge, with lining and pockets of cotton homespun. For an additional charge, we can make the housewife backing out of a soft kid leather. A pinflap of wool flannel with your choice of a hand blanket-stitched edge or a hand-scalloped edge, and a decorative tape tie, anchored by an antique bone button, complete the ensemble.
Like most originals, these housewives are sewn entirely by hand, and come stocked with pins, needles, buttons, and a wooden spool of 100% cotton thread. The model shown above at left is the "Standard," but we also offer several other options, including the "Kathleen" for our Southern friends. This design is a bit larger and substitutes a handsewn, wool flannel, C.S.A. First National flag for the pinflap. The "Kathleen II" is the same, only it substitutes a generic flannel pin flap for the First National. We also offer a housewife made from a pattern published by the U.S. Christian Commission, shown above at right.
NEW ! ! We are now pleased to offer the "Rollup" model, which features a cylindrical roll at the base of the housewife with pin cushions at either end, as seen on numerous originals, including the one seen on page 213 of the Confederate volume of Echoes of Glory and on display at the Gettysburg National Military Park visitor center. This comes with three layers of pinflaps and is stocked with the same goodies as the other models.
"U.S.C.C." housewife . . . . . $15.00 + $5.00 s&h
"Standard" housewife . . . . . $20.00 + $5.00 s&h
"Kathleen" housewife . . . . . $28.00 + $5.00 s&h
"Kathleen II" housewife . . . . . $25.00 + $5.00 s&h
"Rollup" housewife . . . . . $40.00 + $5.00 s&h
(Add $10.00 if you wish the body to be made of leather)
New style coming soon!
CONFEDERATE HAVERSACKS
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When the Confederate government failed to provide haversacks for all its troops, it was up to the numerous Solidiers' Aid Societies and soldiers' families to provide the necessary ration bags. This resulted in a lot of variation in construction and materials. We offer haversacks with all visible stitching by hand with logwood-dyed thread in one of the two fabrics above. The reproduction we offer is based on an original carried by Moses Alexander from Alabama, or we can alter the pattern as you wish, as shown in the photo on the right. The sample to the left is a replica of a 19th century ticking print. The sample to the right is of a heavier, more durable material with a repeating pattern of blue stripes. They are fastened with an antique bone button or civilian coin button. Strap lengths are kept short, approximately 44 inches long, but can be made longer (or shorter, if necessary!) upon request. This was a quick-seller at Speros Marinos' shop in Gettysburg last year!
Confederate haversack . . . . . $40.00 + $5.00 s&h
Currently in-stock: 1 Moses Alexander haversack out of the tan/red/white/green ticking material
**LAST ONE AVAILABLE OF THIS MATERIAL!**