Object name
Date made
Circa 1820-1830
Place made
Description
Circa 1820-1830 patchwork pocket featuring a variety of printed cotton fabrics.
Content description
Circa 1820-1830 patchwork pocket featuring a variety of cotton fabrics. The fabrics, which are a variety of colours and patterns, have been stitched together using whip, straight, and back stitches. The back of the pocket is a plain weave cotton, as is the band at the top of the pocket and the surviving tapes that form the ties. The pocket has a vertical opening down the centre middle, which has been reinforced. It is clear that there is a design scheme in the area below the bottom of the vertical opening, with a square of matching floral, polka dot, and striped fabrics. Some of the rectangles of fabric have worn away, while others appear to have been purposefully cut.
Patchwork pockets are rare survivors. This example was made by a woman or girl and was clearly well loved. This pocket would have been tied to the wearer's waist below her skirts and accessed through a slit on the side of the skirt. The fabrics used for the patchwork span several decades. The pocket could have been constructed using one family or dressmaker's hoard of fabric scraps or could have used fabric patches that came from a haberdasher.
Patchwork pockets are rare survivors. This example was made by a woman or girl and was clearly well loved. This pocket would have been tied to the wearer's waist below her skirts and accessed through a slit on the side of the skirt. The fabrics used for the patchwork span several decades. The pocket could have been constructed using one family or dressmaker's hoard of fabric scraps or could have used fabric patches that came from a haberdasher.
Dimensions
width: 27cm
length: 36cm
length: 36cm
Materials
Stitches
Catalogue number
RSN.211
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