Page 29 - 2019 August The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
P. 29
I n the U.S., they are called notions. In the U.K., they are called haberdashery. What exactly are
these oddly named things, you may ask? Generally, they are small articles or accessories that are
used to complete a sewing project as a part of the project itself, such as zippers, snaps, hooks,
buttons, ribbons, and trims. This collecting category can include the small tools and supplies used
as a part of the sewing process – patterns, needles, pins, thimbles, and scissors, just to name a few.
For the purpose of discussion, I will refer to them hereafter as notions, but I do very much enjoy the
term haberdashery!
You might wonder what motivates a person to collect sewing related items. As my parents’ late
life “bonus baby,” I spent much of my childhood shadowing my mother as she went about her daily
rounds as a homemaker. She made all of our family’s clothes (and the occasional home decor item)
and had a great eye for fashion and technical skill that would rival any commercial designer. I would
sit on the floor by her feet as she sewed on her Singer sewing machine, playing with the buttons,
zippers, and the straight pins she kept in a Sucrets throat lozenge box. I loved going to the fabric
store and perusing all of the pretty sundries, dreaming up my own imaginary projects. Given that
back-story, it stands to reason that I would have a soft spot for sewing notions and other sewing
collectibles. What else might entice someone to want to procure these sweet, useful items?
Lacecards
Useful Beauty
As collectors, perhaps our attraction to these
objects is the connection it gives us to the women
of the past. Collectibles that represent the womanly
arts of sewing, needlework, and other fiber crafts
remind us of their endeavors to make themselves
and their surroundings more attractive. Sewing
and needlework skills were necessary for every
young lady, rich or poor, to learn in order to run
her household. It was considered a marriage-
worthy accomplishment for a woman to be skilled
in these areas.
Sewing generally fell into two basic categories:
plain work and fancy work. Plain work was used
to make or mend articles of clothing and practical
household items. Fancy work was used as a
decorative element and included knitting,
crocheting, and all manner of needlework. Poor
girls who were skilled at sewing were able to
support themselves. Well-to-do ladies might have 1920s metallic lace appliques
had servants to take care of the more mundane
Sewing basket sewing tasks, but they would still do fancy work to
pass the time and showcase their technique.
Up until the first part of the 20th century,
there were few retail destinations for many rural citizens other than the town’s general merchandise
store. One can only imagine the excitement a young homemaker would have felt when she heard
that a new shipment of merchandise had arrived at the store. At a time when almost everything was
homemade, the creative possibilities must have seemed endless as new fabric, ribbons, trim, and
buttons lined the shelves and cabinets!
Collecting Beauty
Regardless of the motivation behind a budding collection, there are many delightful options to
be considered when building an assemblage of sewing related items. One of the benefits is that the
items truly do span a large range of price points, so whether your budget is small or large, there is
something for you. The other consideration is availability. While some unique pieces are admittedly
difficult to come by, almost every estate sale, garage sale, or flea market will have some type of sewing These unused ribbon work appliques bear their original tags
notions, usually for a very reasonable cost. In addition, most antique stores and sites will have a large
August 2019 27
these oddly named things, you may ask? Generally, they are small articles or accessories that are
used to complete a sewing project as a part of the project itself, such as zippers, snaps, hooks,
buttons, ribbons, and trims. This collecting category can include the small tools and supplies used
as a part of the sewing process – patterns, needles, pins, thimbles, and scissors, just to name a few.
For the purpose of discussion, I will refer to them hereafter as notions, but I do very much enjoy the
term haberdashery!
You might wonder what motivates a person to collect sewing related items. As my parents’ late
life “bonus baby,” I spent much of my childhood shadowing my mother as she went about her daily
rounds as a homemaker. She made all of our family’s clothes (and the occasional home decor item)
and had a great eye for fashion and technical skill that would rival any commercial designer. I would
sit on the floor by her feet as she sewed on her Singer sewing machine, playing with the buttons,
zippers, and the straight pins she kept in a Sucrets throat lozenge box. I loved going to the fabric
store and perusing all of the pretty sundries, dreaming up my own imaginary projects. Given that
back-story, it stands to reason that I would have a soft spot for sewing notions and other sewing
collectibles. What else might entice someone to want to procure these sweet, useful items?
Lacecards
Useful Beauty
As collectors, perhaps our attraction to these
objects is the connection it gives us to the women
of the past. Collectibles that represent the womanly
arts of sewing, needlework, and other fiber crafts
remind us of their endeavors to make themselves
and their surroundings more attractive. Sewing
and needlework skills were necessary for every
young lady, rich or poor, to learn in order to run
her household. It was considered a marriage-
worthy accomplishment for a woman to be skilled
in these areas.
Sewing generally fell into two basic categories:
plain work and fancy work. Plain work was used
to make or mend articles of clothing and practical
household items. Fancy work was used as a
decorative element and included knitting,
crocheting, and all manner of needlework. Poor
girls who were skilled at sewing were able to
support themselves. Well-to-do ladies might have 1920s metallic lace appliques
had servants to take care of the more mundane
Sewing basket sewing tasks, but they would still do fancy work to
pass the time and showcase their technique.
Up until the first part of the 20th century,
there were few retail destinations for many rural citizens other than the town’s general merchandise
store. One can only imagine the excitement a young homemaker would have felt when she heard
that a new shipment of merchandise had arrived at the store. At a time when almost everything was
homemade, the creative possibilities must have seemed endless as new fabric, ribbons, trim, and
buttons lined the shelves and cabinets!
Collecting Beauty
Regardless of the motivation behind a budding collection, there are many delightful options to
be considered when building an assemblage of sewing related items. One of the benefits is that the
items truly do span a large range of price points, so whether your budget is small or large, there is
something for you. The other consideration is availability. While some unique pieces are admittedly
difficult to come by, almost every estate sale, garage sale, or flea market will have some type of sewing These unused ribbon work appliques bear their original tags
notions, usually for a very reasonable cost. In addition, most antique stores and sites will have a large
August 2019 27
