What’s a huswif? In early America, a huswif, or housewife, was a small foldable sewing kit which held needles, pins, thread, buttons, and other sewing tools. A huswif was an essential lady’s accessory, but soldiers of the Revolution and Civil War also often carried a huswif to make repairs to their clothing. Stitch your own huswif at this one-day workshop, held from 9 am to 3 pm on February 25 at Rollinsford’s historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House.

Janith Bergeron, co-founder of the Sewing Tree and owner of Designs by Janith, will guide workshop participants in creating their own unique and personal sewing kit while learning about hand-needle stitching techniques. A variety of fabrics, needlecraft supplies, beads, ribbon, etc., will be provided but participants are welcome to bring any special fabrics they might like to use to personalize their huswif, such as old quilt pieces, vintage linens, buttons, crocheted items, or handkerchiefs. Workshop participants should bring a lunch, small scissors, pin cushion, and needle threader. While a huswif was historically made by hand, a few sewing machines will be available for those who prefer to sew their huswif by machine.

Workshop fee is $20. To register, send an email to paulwentworthhouse@gmail.com by February 20. For additional information, send an email to designsbyjanith@gmail.com.

Located on Water Street in Rollinsford, NH, the Colonel Paul Wentworth House is maintained by the nonprofit Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH) as an educational and cultural center, and hosts living history weekends, exhibits, school programs, and other events. For more information, consult the ARCH website at www.paulwentworthhouse.org.