Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - November 10, 1985
By Susan J. Dehler
Vigo County Historical Society

Needlework filled idle moments

In colonial times, the art of needlework reflected women's economical use of time and labor.

While waiting for bread to rise or while visiting with friends, a colonial woman would take out her needlework and keep busy. An apron-like pocket worn around the waist held her stitching materials so they were readily available during an idle moment.

The man's pocketbook on display in the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., represents hours of labor and concentration. The technique used here is the flame-stitch or bargello. This is a special type of embroidery stitch done on canvas. It requires more attention than needlework. The design is not transferred directly to the canvas, but worked from a graph. The threads must be counted carefully so the pattern can be followed.

This pocketbook was donated by Marjorie Bradshaw. It came from Virginia and probably was made by Sarah Schmuck, whose mane is sewn into the piece. The date, May 14, 1767, is stitched beside her name. The date probably had some personal significance to the seamstress-- perhaps the day of her marriage. It was not uncommon for a colonial woman to give such needlework to her husband as a wedding present. What would the colonial husbands have carried in his pocketbook?

The colonists were short of hard money -- gold and silver -- so they used substitutes for metal. The first issue of paper money in America was in 1690 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. These actually were notes issued to individuals to be eventually paid in hard coin.

But many colonists relied on a barter system for economic exchange. In Virginia tobacco was used as money for nearly two centuries. Tobacco certificates became full legal tender by 1727.

In a world without credit cards, family photographs and paper money as we know it, the colonial husband might have carried business papers, tobacco certificates, bank notes or bills in the compartments of his pocketbook.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.