Antique Embroidery Hoop

This is a lovely thing.

So very simple. A well-made hoop, heavy enough in construction to not need fabric binding or alteration to make it fit snugly.

It's amazing that, at it's age, it is still kept it's 'round'.

Because wood shrinks at different rates horizontally and vertically, i.e. with and across the grain, whoever made this understood their material well. It is probably made of "Box" or Linden wood, possibly Scandinavian in origin.

There is absolutely no metal involved. A handmade wood screw still holds the hoop securely to the table top.

The attaching piece allows the hoop to rotate out from the clamp for ease of use.

An absolute pleasure to use.

Addendum

Yee Gods!

I was looking up something else, as always on the computer, and ran across a listing for a clamp pin cushion very like the little one I mentioned in the previous post.

It was for sale at nearly $500.00!

I guess I had better lock it in the safe.  heh

Who would believe such a little tool some husband/father probably made would be worth so much?

Clamp Pincushion

Isn't this the neatest thing?

I picked this little pincushion/clamp up at an antique store somewhere in Missouri.

It may have been made by the Amish, but it may be something brought from the East Coast and much older. It looks very New England. Maybe dating from the late 1700's - early 1800's?

Somebody made this little jewel. The whole thing is such a pleasing thing to have around.

The wooden clamp was probably turned on a lathe.

The screw is wooden too. I think there was a tool with a small metal bit in it to cut wooden screw threads. I believe I've seen one somewhere. Maybe even in my father's wood shop years and years ago.


What a nice little tweeky knob at the end. Exactly right for finger-tightening.

I keep the wood screw working smoothly with a little beeswax now and then. It seems to be the right thing to use on it.


And it is such a lovely, burnished black finish that only comes from being touched many times by hands.



The fabric on the top is woven; maybe handwoven by some woman. Simple white and blue plad with an overshot zig-zaggy variation pattern....The threads are even but course. I haven't disturbed it and probably never will. There might be other fabric below the top cover. It is sewn on tightly with two kinds of coarse thread.


The stuffing is coarse and springy black and white horsehair. The plow horse's mane? The favorite riding horse's tail strands? A forelock clipped and wound around a finger?

Beneath the stuffing is a small mushroom-shaped, slightly domed small knob.


The clamp has a firm bite to any table edge.

Sewing table?

Quilt frame?



If only it could talk.


Click the photos for a more detailed view.