Gotta Stitch a Pocket or Two

Who knew that something as basic as a simple pocket could have a history rich with stories that give us a unique insight into the lives of women from previous centuries. As far back as the 13th century women wore pouches underneath their clothing. By the mid 17th century to the late 19th century, pockets had adapted a sleeker profile and were tied around the waist and sandwiched between the many layers of skirts with a slit cut open in the outer shell of the skirt for easy access.

Above is an example of an antique boutis pocket from France shown overtop of the skirt for display purposes.

Women of all classes, including the very genteel, wore pockets. Wearing the pockets underneath the outer clothing made them less suseptable to theft and having a safe place to hold the precious neccessities of daily life (such as household keys, a few coins, etc.) gave a woman control over domestic affairs and allowed her a certain measure of independence without the need to be always be accompanied by her husband. Some men felt threatened by the newly found freedom this allowed women, and pockets could create tension within the household. Who knew a simple pocket could be such an area of contention?

The idea of wearing a hidden pocket is a curious concept for us in today's world, but fun to explore. The members of my local Needle Arts Guild enjoy the study of a variety of needle work techniques, sometimes contemporary and often more traditional. Over the last spring, we explored the history of tie-on pockets. As a culmination of the study, we were invited to make a pocket using our favourite technique. The techniques used are as a varied as the designs and materials used. The results of our efforts is an amazing array of 130 (ish) pockets, with each pocket giving us a little insight into its maker, just as the pockets of by-gone eras did. Our pockets were recently on a month long exhibit at the Silk Purse Gallery in West Vancouver.

Take a little walk through the gallery (below) and have a look at the variety of pockets.

Each pocket is as individual as it’s maker. Aside from a prescribed pattern, technique/material used was our choice. The members of the guild come with different experiences and our areas of focus vary from traditional stitching techniques like crewel work from England and boutis from France, to more contemporary, freeform needle work styles.

Above: Traditional French Boutis (by yours truly) and Traditional English Crewelwork, techniques that are still practiced today thanks to the efforts of caring hands passing along the skills from one generation to the next.

Creativity, skill and even a little whimsy in the two pockets above charmed the viewer as they wandered by.

If this little explore intrigues you, I invite you to keep reading or check out the North Shore Needle Arts Guild website for more photos. If not, thanks for checking out our little "Pick-a-Pocket" display.

The book that inspired the dive into the “Pocket” rabbit hole.

If your curiosity is piqued, continue the dive…

From the pockets that have been preserved and have survived to present day it is possible to determine the social and cultural practices of the woman. They give insight about the day to day activities of women. For example, the type of fabric used and the wear and tear of the pocket was often indicative of the nature of their domestic situation. A farmer's wife or a fisherman's wife would need a practical, sturdy pocket to carry tools of their trade. Materials such as leather or denim would be used. Whereas a gentle woman would have pockets made of finer cloth, (silks and light cottons) and be richly decorated.

Because women of all classes learned to sew, even the most privileged would make their own. A woman's stitching style was unique and revealed a great deal about her character and domestic skills, as well as her station in life. It was something a future mother-in-law would certainly notice and use in her overall evaluation of the soon to be daughter-in-law. Was the work neat or hurried and impatient? Was the pocket plain and practical or did the maker have the time to embellish her pocket. A variety of techniques were used from sturdy, plain stitching to applique, patchwork, embroidery, etc.. The design and embellishment of a pocket depended on the woman's interest in sewing and the amount of time she was willing to invest in the making.

Regardless of the skills and techniques used, pockets were precious possessions and were looked after and kept safe to preserve their longevity. They retained their value long after the original owner was ready to part with it. There was a huge market for used pockets as well. Hand me downs, trade markets, pawnbrokers, theft, etc. were all popular ways to dispose of used pockets, and with care, would continue to be useful for its next owner.

By the late 19th century, when dress silhouettes were becoming slimmer, the tie on pocket lost it’s appeal and therefore it's popularity, and sewn in pockets as we know them today became the standard. Although, having now made my own tie-on pocket, I think there might just be a place in today's fashion world to wear it as a quirky little accessory. Wo knows, it could even start a new fashion trend!!!

If interested in still more info about these pockets, I would highly recommend:

For an in depth study on pockets and what we can learn about women's lives from it, I highly recommend the book: "The Pocket: A Hidden History of Women's Lives" by Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux, Yale University Press 2019

For an entertaining as well as informative description of the tie-on pockets watch: Bernadette Banner on You Tube: "Women's Pockets weren't always a Complete Disgrace"