The sign of the unicorn. A fabric shop for 18th century reenactors and historians.

Embrodery Kits &c.

Pocket Kits | Stomacher Kits | Sampler Kits | Pocketbook Kits

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Women's 18th Century Pocket Kits

Women's pockets were sometimes embroidered usually with crewel wool but sometimes with silk. These kits are all inspired by original 18th century examples and come complete with hand drawn pocket design to imitate walnut ink on linen, linen pocket back, linen tape, binding, crewel wools, needle and instructions.

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Deerfield Pocket

new We ship promptly!

This pocket is hand drawn to imitate the irregularities found in the original and because of this is purposefully drawn crooked. This shows that not all 18th century handwork was perfectly executed. The kit comes complete with crewel yarns, linen tapes, linen pocket back, needle and instructions.

$35.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Bristol Pocket

new Now in stock!

This kit includes hand drawn design on linen, red crewel yarns, linen tapes for binding and linen tapes for ties. This monochromatic pocket is easy to embroider using outline stitch

$35.00

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An easy pocket kit with red crewel embroidery.
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Newport Pocket

new Elegant!

This pocket kit includes everything to make a very authentic 18th century pocket.

$40.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Wethersfield Pocket

new Now in stock!

This colorful pocket follows the tradition of a central motif rising from a mound or pot and dates from the early to mid 18th century.

$45.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Cambridge Pocket

new This one has character!

The original pocket was cut from a fragment of another textile, probably a bedhanging. Because of this, when making this pocket kit you first embroider then cut through the embroidery to make the pocket slit.

$45.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Hatfield Pocket

new Now in stock!

This pocket kit includes everything to make a very authentic 18th century pocket.

$40.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Salem Pocket

new Gorgeous!

This pocket kit includes everything to make a very authentic 18th century pocket.

$45.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Portsmouth Pocket

new Now in stock!

This pocket kit includes everything to make a very authentic 18th century pocket.

$45.00

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Pocket kit with crewel embroidery.
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Pocket Kits | Stomacher Kits | Sampler Kits | Pocketbook Kits

Stomacher Kits

Stomachers came into and out of fashion through the 17th and 18th centuries and varied in style, throughout Europe and North America. Beginning in about 1740, most gowns were worn to reveal the stomacher, which covered the front of the torso from neckline to waist or lower. The bodice's lacings criss-cross over the stomacher, and eventually the lacings became a series of decorative bows. Stomachers were often embroidered and could be made of the same fabric as or contrast the dress.

Our 18th century stomacher kits are drawn by hand on 100% linen, using fabric pens to simulate period walnut inking. The majority of surviving 18th century stomachers are worked in silk threads, metallic threads or a combination on linen. Extant stomachers embroidered in wool threads are more rare. For the beginner working with wool is easy and goes quickly but experienced embroiderers will find satisfaction working in silk. All kits are currently available in wool but you may call us to special order them in silk. All designs have been inspired by extant examples in museums and private collections and created by Samantha Larkin. Kits include all threads, hand drawn design on linen ground, instructions and embroidery needles.

Blue Thistle 18th Century Stomacher Kit

new Now in stock!

This kit comes complete with hand drawn design to imitate walnut ink on linen, crewel wool, embroidery needle and instructions.

$ 35.00

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An 18th century stomacher kit inspired from originals.
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An 18th century stomacher kit inspired from originals.

Berries 18th Century Stomacher Kit

new Now in stock!

This kit comes complete with hand drawn design to imitate walnut ink on linen, crewel wool, embroidery needle and instructions.

$30.00

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Carnation 18th Century Stomacher Kit

new Now in stock!

This kit comes complete with hand drawn design to imitate walnut ink on linen, crewel wool, embroidery needle and instructions.

$ 35.00

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An 18th century stomacher kit inspired from originals.
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Pocket Kits | Sampler Kits | Pocketbook Kits

Pocketbook Kits

Worked linen pocketbooks were often made in New England between 1740 and 1790, but reached their peak of popularity between 1760 and 1780. This type of worked pocketbook was more popular in America than in England. They were obviously valued by their owners, and mention of them can be found in wills, inventories, and diaries of the period. While leather pocketbooks were more common, being commercially available, more of these hand-worked examples survive, perhaps because of personal and sentimental reasons. Both sexes carried these pocketbooks. Women carried theirs inside their pockets (the large, U-shaped cloth bags tied at the waist and worn under the outer skirt). Inside the pocketbook, a woman might carry buttons, a thimble, hooks, needles, and sundry papers. Men usually carried business and personal documents, coins and paper money in theirs; hence women's pocketbooks were usually smaller than men's. The pocketbook itself was usually lined with a brightly color wool or silk fabric, and given a stiff interlining of pasteboard.

The ends were bound by an extension of these binding tapes, or a metal clasp. Cross stitched pocketbooks of this period are quite rare, with Irish stitch being the most common technique used. Some examples worked in Queen stitch survive, usually executed in silk rather than wool because of the intricacy of that stitch. Most of them were made with wool floss.

Click here for worsted tape for binding and finishing the pocketbooks

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ES POCKETBOOK CIRCA 1780

Linen count and finished size: 30-count same as the original: 9" × 8" when opened completely and flat
Stitches: Irish and eyelet stitches using Appleton crewel wool
Source: Old Sturbridge Village

Kit with wool floss: $ 55.00
Graph: $12.00

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Origin and date: American 18th century
ES Pocketbook 1780
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ANN DAVIS POCKETBOOK 1762

This flame stitched, single pocketbook, found in Newburyport, Massachusetts, was originally worked in simple Irish stitch, in still brilliant rainbow hues.

Linen Count and finished size: 35-count same as original 5 3/8" × 3 1/2"
Stitches: Only cross and Irish stitches used
Source: Old Sturbridge Village

Kit with cotton floss: $38.00

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Origin and date:
American 18th century
Ann Davis Pocketbook 1762
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Pocket Kits | Stomacher Kits | Sampler Kits | Pocketbook Kits

Sampler Kits

The earliest samplers were worked in the 15th to 16th centruy. As this tradition continued it became a way for girls at a very young age to demonstrate knowledge and learn an important task. The smaplers below are based on originals in museum and private collections.

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SUSANNA LANE 1776

Susanna's sampler exhibits many characteristics typical of eastern Massachusetts samplers of the last quarter of the 18th century, including the geometric trellis-like border, the sawtooth satin stitch inner border, and the distinctive shape of the central flowerpot.
Created at the high point of the American Revolution, the original sampler was worked on homespun unbleached flax linen, as finer, imported fabrics were either impossible to find then, or were so heavily taxed as to be beyond the financial means of most colonists.

Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 25-count 16" × 16 3/4"
Stitches: Cross, back, eyelet, herringbone & Satin

Kit with Cotton floss $38.00

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Origin and date: 1776
Sampler by Susanna Lane 1776
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JEAN SCRIMGEOWR 1779

Reproduced from a brilliant Scottish sampler of 1779, this piece is finely worked. Stylized pansies across the top symbolize the Holy Trinity, while doves near the center perch on the Fountain of Eternal Life. Adam and Eve stand beneath their umbrella-shaped tree, surrounded by various heraldic motifs including a peacock, dogs, and crowns.

Begin the high celestial strain my raivshed (sic) soul and sing a solemn hymn of grateful praise to Heavns Almighty King

Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35-count, hand-dyed, 17" × 15"
Stitches: Cross, double running, back and Upright Gobelin Source: Private collection

Graph: $7.00

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Origin and date: Scottish 1779
Sampler by Jean Scrimgeowr 1779
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RUTHEY MACKAY CIRCA 1780

A very pretty, nicely balanced, quirky little American marking sampler, Ruthey distinguished her work by stitching the large, graceful flower in the lower third, flanked by eager little birds. The last two digits of the date disappear under the edge of the frame, which perhaps Ruthey did not mind much in later years as it kept her true age a mystery.

Rated: Beginner
Linen count and finished size: 25-count 131/2" × 10 1/2"
Stitches: Count, sawtooth, satin, eyelet
Source: the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT

Kit with cotton Floss $27.00 Sale Price 17.99

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Origin and date:
New England, circa 1780
Sampler by Ruthey MacKay 1780
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HANNAH BREED 1756

This American band sampler was originally worked in Lynn, Massachusetts. Rows of lettering are intermixed with rows of sheep and cows, a verse and floral bands. The verse reads:

Hannah Breed is my name
New England is my station
Lynn is my dwelling place and
Christ is my salvation
Aged 9

Rated: Intermediate
Linen Count and finished size: 25-count 10" × 22"
Stitches: Eyelet, satin, long arm cross
Source: Private Collection.

Chart only $7.00

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Origin and date: Lynn, Massachusetts, 1756
Sampler by Hannah Breed 1756

Pocket Kits | Stomacher Kits | Sampler Kits | Pocketbook Kits

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