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Sewing Kit
First World War
Called a "Housewife," the typical
sewing kit carried by Canadian soldiers included needles, thimble, buttons for Battle
Dress and shirts, thread (both thin for badges and thick for darning socks, gloves, and
other woolen items), and beeswax (to help waterproof the thread).
The kit was made of khaki cloth with sewn in
pockets and was closed by rolling it up and securing it with two cloth ties.
Housewives, dated 1916 (top) and 1918. The
C-broad-arrow acceptance mark is a reminder that much personal kit was not replaced by
later patterns; instead older patterns were issued until old stocks were exhausted.
It is not unlikely to expect that First World War era housewive were issued in the Second
World War, and beyond. In cases where outdated kit was not a danger to the soldier's
life, the older patterns remained on issue until worn out. The webmaster was issued
with a 1952 dated balaclava in 1988, for example, and a 1942 dated blanket was issued to
him from British Army stores while on loan to the British Army in 1990.
Artifacts and photo courtesy Ed Storey
Second World War
The housewife changed little during the first
half of the 20th Century. Some sewing kits during the Second World War were actually
produced by German prisoners living in Canada.
Canadian Issued Sewing Kit
Photo and artifact courtesy of Gary Balke
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A khaki handkerchief, along with another example of the
sewing kit (this view shows the cloth tapes). The needles are inserted into a white rag,
and the thread is kept on cardboard formers. The shaving kit is marked
"Gilette" and has a stainless steel razor rather than a brass one as in the
example above. |
A smaller, single pocket version, also existed. Khaki housewives continued to
be produced and issued long after the Second World War.
Khaki housewives; top dated 1943, bottom dated
1952.
Artifacts and photo courtesy Ed Storey
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Post Unification Canadian Forces
Photo and artifact courtesy of Ed Storey
The standard Canadian Forces "sewing kit" by the
1990s (no longer called a "housewife") was in green material (cotton, above, and
afterwards in nylon, with pockets inside and a piece of felt to which needles could be
attacked.
The kit above is secured by tie tapes and dates from the
1970s (this particular item was issued in 1978).
The kit below, from the 1990s, was secured by velcro to the
body of the kit. Inside the pockets were two plastic bags, one with buttons, and the
other with thread, a thimble and a needle threader. Needles and safety pins
were attached to the black felt. The sample below is dated 1991.
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