| In early America, clothing was expensive in two ways – either in cash or in the time and labor needed to make an article of clothing. Many people lived on farms and did not have money to buy clothes so instead they grew flax, turned that into thread, wove the threads into cloth, then sewed the cloth into clothing. Whew! A shirt or chemise made this way had much greater value than comparable clothing today! Therefore, when a tear occurred or a button was lost, the owner was sure to make a repair before more damage was done. For the early American housewife, a sewing basket or box full of “notions” (small items and tools used in sewing), scraps of cloth for patches, and spare buttons was every bit as important as a “possibles bag” was for a man out hunting. The sewing notions we offer are the kind most useful for keeping living history clothing in good repair.
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| SN-038 Pin Cushion
These distinctive pin cushions will add a very early American touch to your sewing basket.
Made of cow horn and decorated with scrimshaw in patterns from the 18th century the unique beauty of this pin cushion will surely bring joy to your every sewing project!
Every bit a work of art, each individual pin cushion bears Orville Mumma's maker's mark, a serial number, and the year it was made inscribed on the bottom.
Pictured above are the four we currently have available.
They are shown in the following Serial-Number order: #48 ($35), #80 ($50), #91 ($55) and #97 ($55) |
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| SN-001 Loop Straight Pins These 1½ inch long brass-plated steel straight pins are useful for securing an apron to a lady’s outer garments and for closing a bed gown in a proper manner. Pins were often hard to find in early America and when they were available, they were generally expensive. For this reason, some ladies used locust thorns as a substitute. Some ladies kept chickens and sold eggs to gain “pin money.” Our pins are packaged in sets of five. $3.00 per set of 5 pins |  |
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SN-003 Bone Thread Winder Bone thread winder with 6 yards of linen thread. Good item to carry in a haversack for making repairs on the spot. When the thread is used up, you will discover that the bone has been carved into a decorative Celtic knot that can be worn as an ornament or replenished with more thread. $2.00
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| SN-004 Sinew 20-yard Bobbin Artificial sinew wound on a handy 20-yard bobbin that can easily be carried in a haversack or sewing kit for making repairs on the trail or in camp. This flat sinew can be easily divided for making thinner threads for more delicate sewing. $2.00
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| SN-005 Sinew ½-Pound Spool Artificial sinew used for sewing projects of all kinds. Strong enough for sewing leather, cloth, even heavy tent canvass, the flat sinew can be divided into finer threads for more delicate sewing jobs. This is one of the handiest products for many different sewing and crafting projects. out of stock |
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| SN-006 Hemp Twine - Light Spool of hemp twine for ligh-duty projects. $5.00 |
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| SN-007 Hungarian Hemp Twine - Medium Spool of hemp twine. out of stock |
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SN-009 Needle Assortment This assortment of needles is useful for many projects – but not for sewing buttons or repairing a torn shirt! These are heavy-duty needles most often used for sewing leather or heavy canvass. Six needles in different shapes for different applications. $5.00
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| SN-018 Pewter Button ½" = $1.00; 1" = $1.25 |  |
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SN-029 Pewter 5-Point Star Button A good decorative, generic pewter button from our colonial period. Limited supply. $1.00 | ||||||||
| SN-025 Bone Stab Awl Here is another tool that has its place in prehistoric antiquity. Tools of bone, stone and wood have been included in the kit of tool-using man since the dawn of hunters and gatherers. Some tools are just hard to put aside, and so it is with the stab awl. This tool is well-suited for opening holes in woven fabric and in lightweight leather. It is just as practical today as it has been for thousands of years. Our bone stab awl comes in natural white and will develop its own unique patina over time as you use it and the natural oils from your hands works its way into the pores of the bone. You can also hasten this process by soaking the tool in tea, laying it overnight in used coffee grounds or wiping its surface with any number of wood stains. $3.00 |  |
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SN-026 Bone Bodkin Almost identical to the Bone Stab Awl, the Bodkin is used to thread twill tape through a lady’s petticoat, to help thread ribbon or tape in a lady’s corset or bodice, and other projects where a blunt needle-like tool is needed. The Bodkin does not have a sharp point as this is not needed for lacing. It does have an enlarged hole at its base for making the insertion of bulky tape or ribbon an easier task. $3.00 | ||||||||
| SN-030 Antler Sewing Kit This is an excellent reproduction of a small sewing kit from the late 18th century as would be carried by a traveler. The workmanship in this unique piece is simply unmatched. The deer antler has been carefully turned on a lathe, then drilled out to form the container. The top and bottom pieces have been hand-threaded with large, coarse threads to make opening and closing easy. This is certainly a museum-quality piece. Comes with a hand-turned bone spool holding a small amount of linen thread and two needles. This will make an excellent addition to a period correct sewing kit. Made by Orville Mumma. $65.00 |  |
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| SN-031 Bone Spool and Linen Thread (pictured in Sewing Kit at left) This hand-turned bone spool is perfect for someone in need of just a small amount of thread for making those emergency repairs – for fastening a loose button, repairing a tear in a shirt, petticoat or breeches – and not wanting a larger kit. Spool length about 1-¼ inch. $7.00 |
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SN-033 Bee's Wax All natural 100 percent bee’s wax for sewing and other projects. Sold in 1-ounce bars and Heart shape for sewing kits. One ounce bars $2.00; Heart $1.00 | ||||||||
All Prices are Subject to Change Without Notice
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