Pattern for 1870 embroidered silk & gold braid purse
Janis Carleton Allen
January 2nd 2010, 8:40pm
Updated January 3rd 2010, 8:50am
How to make a Victorian embroidered leather Ladies purse or bag.
We have taken this pattern out of our soon to be reprinted Needlework Book from the year 1870.
1870's embroidered silk & gold braid Ladies purse.
Materials: Russia leather; blue silk; black purse silk; blue silk soutache; fine gold braid; and gold thread.
Lady's Purse.
This purse is embroidered upon Russia leather; an oval-shaped medallion is cut out in the centre; a piece of blue silk is gummed on under the leather so as to show within the oval; both leather and silk are then lined with calico and stretched upon a small embroidery frame. The front and back of the purse are made all of one piece, the centre of which is the bottom; after the embroidery is completed a piece of leather is added on each side to give the necessary fullness. Four flowerets are worked over the blue silk, with black purse silk, in raised satin stitch, with a dot in gold thread for the centre. The stems are black and the leaflets gold. The inner border round the [129]oval medallion is worked in gold braid, and the outer one in blue soutache. The network upon the leather is formed of threads of black purse silk, fastened at every crossing with a stitch of gold thread; the outer border round this network is formed entirely of gold braid. On the opposite side of the purse initials may be worked in black and gold, over the blue silk oval medallion.
The purse is lined with brown watered silk, and mounted with a clasp of gilt steel.
Please Note:-all of these images and patterns are part of my Vintage Clothing Collection photos which are circa 1800 - 1920 & are originally of public domain but they have been altered & enhanced & repaired by us & remains the property of Janis Carleton Allen copyright 2009