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Doris Montag
The History of Ordinary Things Military Sewing Kits – Honoring Our Veterans
First used in print in 1749, the term “housewife” has been used to denote a sewing kit commonly used by the military. The pocket sewing kit was also known as a “hussif” or “hussy” (also spelled “huswife”).
At a time when military uniforms were handmade and had to be provided by the recruit, a soldier’s gear included a sewing kit. This was typically made by his mother, his wife, or his sweetheart as a farewell gift. Often, they would personalize the sewing kit with embroidery.
Soldiers tucked away personal mementos as well as sewing items in the handy pockets. “Dog tags” with a soldier’s identification were not introduced until 1906. The sewing kit decorations and mementoes often helped the military identify a soldier lost in service.
The typical “hussif” included thread and wax for waterproofing it, darning wool for socks, a small scissors, needles, pins, extra buttons, a thimble, and other small mending materials. These were necessary items.
As important, the skills to use them were vital because soldiers had to maintain their uniforms. Before the advent of safety pins (by Walter Hunt in 1847), the “housewife” was useful for mending uniforms and sewing on buttons, ranks, and awards.
The needle could also be used for removing splinters and, on occasion, sewing up a wound.
Some soldiers started recreational needlework. After the First World War, embroidery became a popular therapeutic occupation for wounded soldiers.
The “hussif” sewing kit was usually made from fabric scraps of linen, wool, and cotton and edged in twill tape. The early kits were made of two strips of fabric, one constructed on top of another. The approximate dimensions were 3-8 inches wide by 12-24
Left, a World War I sewing kit, c. 1917. Right, a sewing kit dating from the Korean War, 1950-53.
please see SEWING on facing page
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