Civil War soldiers did not have a lot of clothes, and the clothes they did have saw a lot of use, so soldiers needed to be prepared to repair their uniforms and outfits. Many enlisted men carried a “housewife,” which was a little leather or cloth packet of sewing items. It might include a needle, pins, thread, yarn, a thimble, buttons, pieces of material for patching, and a pair of scissors. The portable sewing kit could be folded up and carried in a pocket.
Answer to Dr. D’s Mystery Hero from page 45 : Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Picture Credits: front cover, ii (BL, BR), 3 (BL), 4 (T), 5 (R), 6 (CL), 7 (BR), 8-9 (T), 9 (CR), 10 (T), 11 (T), 12 (CL), 12–13 (T),…