Pin Cushion thumbnail 1
Pin Cushion thumbnail 2
Not on display

Pin Cushion

1733 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

This decorative pincushion was knitted on fine steel needles. It is made from cream silk and silver gilt thread in patterned stocking stitch. The initials 'EW' appear on one side, with the date '1733' on the other. The formal and symmetrical decoration includes flower and bird motifs.

The pincushion was knitted in two pieces. The person who made it then sewed the pieces together and covered the seams with braid.

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read The history of hand-knitting While the origins of knitting are unclear, we know it has been practised in many different parts of the world, over many centuries, producing objects of great beauty as well as items fulfilling practical needs. When done by hand, it has used simple tools, such as hand-carved sticks of wood...

Object details

Categories
Household Objects
Tools & Equipment
Textiles
Interiors
Object type
Pin cushion
Materials and techniques
Hand-knitted silk and silver-gilt thread
Silk (Textile)
Hand Knitting
Brief description
Pin cushion of hand-knitted silk and silver-gilt thread, England, 1733
Physical description
Pin cushion in the shape of a small rectangular cushion, and made from cream silk and silver-gilt thread in patterned stocking stitch and decorated with motifs of birds, plants and geometric forms. The seams are covered with braid. The initials 'E W' appear on one side and the date '1733' on the other.
Dimensions
  • Length: 16cm
  • Width: 4.5in
  • Width: 10.5cm
Tension: 24 stitches per inch 7 stitches per cm
Gallery label
(1985)
5. LARGE PINCUSHION
Hand-knitted silk and silver-gilt thread
English, dated 1733

Both sides of this oblong pincushion are knitted in patterned stocking stitch. The reverse has an octagonal motif containing stylized carnations with four peacocks and the initials 'EW'. It is edged with plaited silver gilt cord to cover the join between the two halves.

Bequeathed by Mr Frank Ward
T.251-1960
Credit line
Bequeathed by Frank Ward
Summary
This decorative pincushion was knitted on fine steel needles. It is made from cream silk and silver gilt thread in patterned stocking stitch. The initials 'EW' appear on one side, with the date '1733' on the other. The formal and symmetrical decoration includes flower and bird motifs.

The pincushion was knitted in two pieces. The person who made it then sewed the pieces together and covered the seams with braid.
Bibliographic reference
Hinchcliffe, Frances (ed.), Knit One, Purl One : Historic and Contemporary Knitting from the V&A's Collection. V&A, London, 1985 p.12
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.251-1960

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Record createdJanuary 5, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O108313/pin-cushion-unknown/
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