Textiles

Antique Make-Do Pincushion Multi-Color Radiating Colors
  • I’ve recently acquired a number of pieces from a long-time a private collection of make do and needlepoint pincushions. It is a fabulous collection that I’m pleased to offer these wonderful pieces. Ms. Hardy enjoyed these pieces for 30 years and you can see that she has an eye for the best!

    This sweet make do pincushion was creatively created by stitching red, blue and dark brownish green wool so that they radiate from the center, like a circus tent. The fabric pieces are edged with green cording (also radiating from center to edge of the pincushion). The center of the pincushion is artistically accentuated by a coil of metallic cording. The pincushion is edged with brown cotton or wool fringe and whitish (or pale grey) and green glass beads.

    The make-do is on a canary yellow patterned glass base—possibly a candlestick base. The color of the glass is not as intense as the make-do I just listed with the damask top. I have read that the intensity of the yellow color used for patterned glass varied from decade to decade. I’m not a glass person and can’t tell you what the pattern is or date the glass, but I’d love if anyone who knows Early American Glass would contact me about these make do pincushions with the glass bases. The full height of the make-do is about 4 ¾”. The diameter of the base is 4” and the diameter of the pincushion on top is 5”. Condition is excellent—the pincushion sits just a bit askew, but I’d doubt the authenticity of a make-do pincushion that was absolutely straight!

    #5786    Sold

    Provenance: Collection of Roxanne Hardy

    References for Make Do:

    Baseman, Andrew, “Past Imperfect: the art of inventive repair” http://andrewbaseman.com/blog/
    Naetzker, Donald P., Waste Not Want Not: The Art of the Make-Do, (self published) 1986.