Hussif patterns

This project has been on my 'to do' list for several months, but the impetus to get on with it came from finishing the University Centre Shrewsbury banner. When I delivered the banner to the campus I thought that I had best take a small emergency sewing kit along as well, just in case any last-minute fixes were required. They weren't, but as I hunted round for something suitable in which to carry pins, needles, thread and scissors I thought, "I really need to make that hussif". Make a what?…

If you have found yourself often sewing by hand, as I have recently, you need a place to keep your favorite notions at the ready. In the 18th and 19th century, the need to keep little items from getting lost in pockets and bags was just as prevalent as it is now. To a Georgian-era woman, a “housewife” was the perfect place to secure small valuable items she wanted to keep on her person.

When I made my pretty pastel Hussif in June the response from readers was incredible, so it seemed only natural that I should take you ...

You’ve probably gathered that I have a tiny weakness for good needlework books. I really do. And I’m weird about them, because, whether or not I use them as they are intended to be used – i.e. to stitch a project from, to learn a specific technique – I always read them. I like to ...

A Housewife, or Hussif, is nothing more than an 18th century sewing kit. Women used them at home, and soldiers used them when serving in the military. A few years back, I made one for myself, and u…

I'm busy making for my next fair on 16th May. It is the Selvedge Spring Fair in Stroud. I love stitching these sewing huswifs, ...

Last week I stopped by one of my favourite op-shops between errands, and had a rummage in their $3 fill-a-bag fabric bin. I didn’t find any fabric, but I did find something even better. This: This is a hussif, hussuf, hussy, huswif, hussive or housewife (so, basically any way you can spell a contraction of housewife). A hussuf is a fabric case for carrying all your sewing implements. The most common form is a long rectangle of padded fabric that rolls up into a small packet, so that you can…

I made my very own hussif last month, as I often travel trough with sewing/embroidery/knitting projects, I needed a kit where I can have all my essentials