Basic Huswife and Leather Sewing Kit for the Frontiersman’s Pack

[Tsalagidave]

Many years ago, I read a passage in Marcy's 1859 book "The Prairie Traveller" and took to heart his advice about carrying little buckskin rolled up in a sewing kit to accompany the Huswife I always carried.

The Huswife contains most of my toiletries (razor, comb, tweezers, toothbrush, and mirror), but I keep my soap and handkerchief in my haversack or market wallet.  The rest of the kit is of thread, buttons, patching, needles, thimble, pins, and fishing hooks.

The leather kit is for quick repairs to footwear and gear. It contains heavy duty needles in a case with an awl, waxed linen, leather thong, all rolled up in buckskin patching.  Additional items include a whetstone with spare striker and a small flint.
Lightweight and simple, this combination has changed a bit over the years of use but the concept is still the same.

-DR

[Niederlander]

I like it!  It's easy to forget that on the frontier, you fixed what you had, since you weren't going to go to Wally World to buy a new one.  I carried a "housewife" overseas, and by the time we got back from Desert Storm I was having to sew my utilities back together, as there weren't any others available where I was.

[Tsalagidave]

Great feedback Dale,

Its amazing how a little grime and march friction melts those button strings away so often.

That reminds me, thank you for your service brother.

-Dave

[Niederlander]

By that point, I was sewing the leg pockets back on.  Amazing how sweat and filth will eventually start disintegrating cloth.