Who does not look back upon the finer parts of history with a sense of nostalgia, romanticism, simplicity, and perhaps even yearning?
The desire to live in a time of which we may fantasize a life completely different than our own, imagining a perfectness only written in fairy tales.
As a needleworker, one such part of history for me is the romanticism in part of the legend of the hussif.
Hussif, the abbreviation for “housewife” first made its appearance in print during the the mid-18th century in 1749, although it is not fully known when one was actually first crafted for use.
A small sewing kit, this practical item was used by both men and women of all classes. Handmade from whatever materials the creator had available to them, most were commonly crafted using linen, wool or cotton. Those of aristocrats however, may have also included fine fabrics such as moire, damask, chintz, muslin, brocade and silk.
Also known as a huswife or hussive, the hussif was crafted with several pockets which may have held buttons, scissors, threads, thimble, needles, pins and any other necessary repairing supplies and tools, and it was not uncommon for the pockets, backing, and cover to be embellished with embroidery.
This is where the romance comes in. As soldiers and sailors headed off to war, these brave men carried a simple hussif containing at least buttons, thread, and needle in their haversacks with which they would be able to make necessary repairs to their clothing.
The hussifs were usually made for them by their loved ones; mothers, wives, sisters, girlfriends. It is not hard to embellish the story and imagine the hussif containing a message or special embroidery thereon. Perhaps even a love note tucked within one of the pockets...... sigh!
Hussifs became standard issue of the British military to their soldiers up until the 60s.
While there was no strict design or dimensions, hussifs made for men were usually smaller in size as compared to those of servants or their ladies, with a rare few being made from leather.
Today, we can see a revival of the hussif and its meaning through creators who are endeared to its history. They are creating their own designs to suit their individual needs, and making it from a variety of fabrics and embellishing it in many unique ways.
No longer a staple in every house, it does serve a beneficial function and definitely something to consider having for traveling or for every day use.
Perhaps if we all learned to repair our own clothing with the assistance of a hussif, instead of throwing out worn pieces, we would appreciate the long lost morsels in history of our ancestors with appreciation and a renewed respect.
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