Pockets with crewel embroidery

Cooper Hewitt 1957-105-1, 18th century

Cooper Hewitt 1957-157-6, 18th century

Concord Museum 2023.28.1, a pocket with floral embroidery, made in Concord, Massachusetts

Chester County History Center 1993.744, a linen pocket with crewel wool embroidery

Winterthur 1966.1359, North America, 18th century

Winterthur 1958.1521, North America, 18th century

V&A T.730B-1913, linen pocket embroidered with wool, England, c. 1700-1725

V&A T.697:B, C-1913, pair of linen twill pockets embroidered with wool, England, c. 1700-1725

Winterthur 1969.0691, North America, c. 1725-1775

London Museum 46.8/3, c. 1736-1745

London Museum 49.91/2, c. 1740-1760

Colonial Williamsburg 1958-180, crewel on linen cotton twill, America, c. 1740-1770

Colonial Williamsburg 1963-11, crewel on linen cotton, New England, c. 1740-1770

Winterthur 1958.1758, North America, c. 1740-1775

Met 2009.300.2102, wool embroidery on linen pocket, America, 1750

Winterthur 1958.2868, North America, 1750-1760

Winterthur 1954.0055.001, North America, 1750-1775

Winterthur 1978.0183, North America, 1750-1780

DAR 61.53, “Woman's pocket constructed from natural linen (front) and green silk (back) [the silk here is certainly a replacement for an original more sturdy linen backing and binding]. The front of the pocket contains an elaborate crewel (worsted wool thread) floral embroidery; the colors used are pink, yellow, green, and blue. The pattern is symmetrical, and consists of one continuous (from top to bottom and around) floral vine design to which the flowers are connected. In the center of the bottom is an additional stemmed flower that rises to the edge of the slit. The slit is 8 3/8" long, bound with green silk and a smaller scale floral vine border. The back is constructed from green silk that is lined with natural glazed cotton which may be a later addition. Stitches include chain, satin, stem, and herringbone in shades of pink, yellow, green, blue, and brown. Cross-stitched initials AP are stitched on either side of the central flower,” United States, 1750-1790

DAR 2623, “Linen pocket with crewel (worsted wool) embroidery on front, bound in several block-printed brown cottons, with blue and white braided cotton thread ties. The embroidery is done in shades of blue, in a symmetrical design of stylized roses and other flowers and leaves emerging from an undulating vine which reaches up either side of the center slit. Stitches include chain, loop, buttonhole, and large French knots at the centers of the flowers and creating the small buds. The front of the pocket is lined with white linen,” Dummerston, Vermont, 1750-1790

DAR 74.176, “ The embroidery design is a symmetrical arrangement of stylized leaves, flowers and thistles, executed in green, blue, yellow and gold wool. The filling stitches used on each of the large motifs are the satin and herringbone stitches. Each large motif is outlined with the feather stitch. Some smaller leaves are also done in feather stitch. The vine which connects the large motifs are done in outline stitch. Small areas of satin stitch dot the pocket and are arranged like the points of a diamond. In each diamond, the opposite dots are of the same color (brown or blue). The pocket is backed with several pieces of blue and tan linen ticking in two different weaves … The front of the pocket is lined in the same two tickings, with a corner piece of the second ticking with pairs of stripes similarly placed in the upper corner. The edges of the pocket and slit are bound with a block printed off-white linen in a brown small scalloped design with dots inside each scallop. The ties attached to the top of the pocket are a blue and white striped wool tape,” United States, 1750-1790

Pocket made by Susanna Yeakel in the second half of the 18th century. “This crewel work pocket illustrates the impact the English neighbors had on the Schwenkfelders. This type of embroidery was much more associated with the English than it would have been with Germans, and was seen in 18th century America throughout New England and the Mid Atlantic. One of the Susanna Yeakels … stitched and sewed this treasure made of handspun linen with wool embroidery. On the reverse is her monogram 'S Y' in cross stitch.”

Winterthur 1958.2051, North America, c. 1750-1800

LACMA M.67.8.90a-b, cotton and linen embroidered in wool, England, 1753

PVMA 1915.18.04, linen pocket with crewel wool embroidery, c. 1760-1800

Old Sturbridge Village 26.67.21, c. 1760-1810: “Fabric at bottom front is a cotton and linen weave, which has been embroidered. Top and back fabrics of pocket are linen … Irregular placement of embroidery on both sides of opening indicates that the embroidery is a remnant remade into a pocket.”

Chester County History Center 1993.752, homespun linen pocket with crewel embroidered flowers and vines, c. 1765

Concord Museum Cos74.173, floral embroidered pocket on homespun fabric, c. 1765-1785

London Museum 35.35/2, c. 1770-1780; “Pair of white linen pockets embroidered with wool thread in a floral design; backed and bound with plain canvas; both pockets joined with linen ribbon ties.”

Old Sturbridge Village 26.67.4, crewel embroidery on linen, c. 1770-1810

London Museum 35.35/2, c. 1770-1780; “Pair of white linen pockets embroidered with wool thread in a floral design; backed and bound with plain canvas; both pockets joined with linen ribbon ties.”

National Trust 1350100, c. 1775-1800; “Made from cream cotton dimity and lined with cream linen. It is embroidered in wool with a vase with a rose and other flowers and a trailing stem with pinks, other flowers and leaves.”

Winterthur 1966.1126, North America, 1780-1840

Met 2009.300.2241, America, c. 1784; “The vibrant and exuberant design of this example probably was worked by an untrained embroiderer at home who worked the design freehand. The motifs of roses, tulips and carnations are similar to those in samplers worked in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the fourth quarter of the 18th century. The gradation and shading of the greens and the general black outlining of the stems and central motif seem to be derived from English crewelwork.”

MFA 40.80, crewel embroidered pocket with the balloon ascent of Vincent Lunardi, England, 1787