Column: Folk Art: A Desire to Create
By Susan Emerson Nutter In today’s throw-away society it is hard to imagine a simple item such as a straight pin being highly valued. However, between 1300 and 1400 metal pins were pricey, and understandably not readily available. These straight pins were vital to the process of sewing everything from drapery to dresses, and they were indeed prized. It makes sense then, that seamstresses and housewives had a need to keep these pins in a safe place while also being easy to access. Initially, these early pins were stored in needle/pin cases made from ivory, bone, silver, and other metals. Then in the early 1700s, pin pillows were used; the precursor to pincushions. Pin pillows were crafted of fine fabrics and were often embroidered. Many women actually wore these artistically made pin pillows hanging from the waist on a cord as a status symbol. Pin pillows could also be mounted on a silver, china, or wooden base and became almost a piece of home décor being displayed in the parlor for all to see. By the 1800s straight pins were more affordable and pincushions became more prevalent. Many were sold as commemorative items or souvenirs. It was also during this era that novelty pincushions came into being; with animal-shaped cushions being popular, as were cushions made utilizing a porcelain or china doll bust at top with the cushion being the doll’s skirt. After the Industrial Revolution, pincushions came into their own being used as a functional sewing tool to hold both pins and needles. With sewing items now being mass-produced, the pincushion followed suit. Often when the term “pincushion” is spoken, the first image that comes to mind is the humble tomato. Many a pincushion has been made that resembles a garden tomato, and there is a reason for this. During the Victorian Era, it is said when a family moved into a new home, a fresh tomato was placed on the mantel in order to both bring the family “good luck” and ward off evil spirits. The actual lifespan of a fresh tomato is, of course, limited. To combat this fact, a fabric tomato was made by the new welcoming neighbors and offered as a house-warming gift. Usually stuffed with sawdust or straw, this fabric tomato sitting on the mantel was conveniently within reach for sticking errant needles and pins in so they could be used at a later time. Yes, pincushions were made and sold, but just as many were created by resourceful homemakers who utilized what was available. While that tomato pincushion form is universal, there are so many other pincushions that are unique in their shape and unique in the material used making these quaint handmade items true pieces of folk art. If ever there was an area of folk art that is diverse, it is the pincushion. Like most folk art, today’s home-crafted or handmade pincushions that were once merely a functional item (and in essence still are), are now prized for their beauty and form. The attraction of folk art pincushions is their ingenuity and design. The diversity originates based on what the seamstress had at hand to use as a pincushion. Folk art pincushions often fall into the category of being a “make-do.” Some pincushions originated as another item like a doll head whose stuffed torso was then used as the pin holder. Empty tin cans were used as a base where fabric was attached at the top as the cushion. Glass oil lamp bases were used in the same way. The glass base was solid and steady so the seamstress attached a fabric pincushion to the top and her unique pincushion was born. Many pincushion forms highlight the owner’s interests. Currently on eBay, a circa 1920s or 1930s folk art, handmade pincushion in the shape of a shoe is available. Carved from balsa wood and covered in a green snake skin-like surface with a faux Mother-of-Pearl button, this pincushion is 3 inches high. And not to confuse, pincushions in the shape of say a shoe, were indeed manufactured and could be bought at a store, though many others were made at home to resemble the store-bought versions. Folk art pincushions can fall into lots of collecting genres. Many were created by sailors while at sea as gifts for their loved ones back home. An example available on eBay is a sewing box decorated with shells that incorporates a pincushion. Some pincushions could also be considered tramp art like the pincushion whose sides are crafted from folded and then woven matchbook covers. Quite possibly the most charming folk art pincushions are those that are merely small pillows, but which are decorated with beading, sequins, and other sewing baubles that might have been left over from another project. These decorated pincushions while functional, also highlight the creator’s sewing skills. Values for folk art pincushions are as diverse as the items themselves. Beginning collectors could amass a nice grouping for little money. On the flip side, some stellar pincushions with great form and made from interesting materials can command a sizable sum. Interestingly, little has been written about folk art pincushions, but thanks to the internet a visual library of sorts can be perused on; of all places, Pinterest. Folk art pincushion enthusiasts have amassed a bounty of images that help illustrate how unique and charming these simple sewing tools truly are.
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