Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Article on Needlecases

Today, during an idle Google search, I found this article about the history of needlecases.  It was written by a Barbara Miller, who appears to be an SCA member with whom I'm not acquainted.  The article contains pen and ink sketches of various needlecase finds, many of which I had not heard before.  The time span covered in the article runs from Ancient Egypt to the end of the 19th century, with most of the interesting examples being from the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings.  It also has what looks like a potentially useful bibliography.

The illustrations of needlecases and their provenances are very interesting and have greatly expanded my (admittedly limited)  knowledge of the subject.  I recommend it to my readers as a good potential jumping off place for further research.

10 comments:

  1. She exhibited in the A&S display last Pennsic and she also has a how-to document to go with the one you found.

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  2. Neat! Do you know whether she's put the how-to document on line? I'm still planning to make myself a needlecase (your website reinspired that ambitions).

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  3. I recently stumbled across Barbara Miller's article on needlecases and now want to make a couple of them also. Here is a link to her "How to make some needlecases" article:
    http://www.wymarc.com/apprentice/MakingNeedle%20Cases.pdf

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  4. Yes, that would be the article. :)

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  5. Great! Thanks for the URL, both of you!

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  6. Frankly, the method ragnvaeig described on her LJ for making a Norse needlecase sounds much easier to me, but Barbara's handout is still a great resource.

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  7. Oh, wow, you found that? I was using Barbara for inspiration!

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  8. So Barbara's article was what inspired you? Now I have both your LJ post *and* her article. We'll see if I am doubly inspired. :-)

    June will be busy here, so inspiration may take awhile to strike unfortunately.

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  9. Yes. I saw her Pennsic A&S display, and her citations were decently rigorous (says the history prof) so I went to her class, and I was convinced that it was something I could make myself, especially once I saw small sheets of metal at the local craft retail.

    I hope you find the time at some point. Alternatively, I have a few extra I've made, and am happy to trade. :)

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  10. That's a kind offer, ragnvaeig, thanks! I don't know what I have to trade that you might want.

    (Also, I do want to try making one on my own first.)

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