The housewife (also known as huswif, huswife, hussive, or hussif) was a sewing kit that was carried by many different classes of people such as the enslaved, soldiers, and even those of the upper class.  The outer portion of our sewing kit is made from heavy cotton canvas. The inner portion is lined with scraps of wool material and has a muslin pouch on the end. It includes two wooden thread winders wrapped with thread, a beeswax thread conditioner, six wood buttons, three needles, and three safety pins. When unfolded it measures 11"x2". The color of wool scraps on the inside will vary.