This is an C1800 Early New England Embroidered Sewing Roll Up that is the definition of a fabulous piece of 19thC textiles. Sewing Roll Ups, or sometimes referred to as "Housewifs", were usually a person's hand sewn sewing accessory that would have housed a lady's sewing supplies such as needles, pins, thread, bobbins, thimble etc. All could be contained within and rolled up to be placed in a pocket or sewing basket. This sewing roll up even may be an 18th century piece.

It is all completely hand stitched with very tiny stitches, and the silk floral embroidery is on homespun handwoven cotton. Four long parallel "cases" for embroidery yarns and silk threads would be for sampler work and marking linens. The pinkish area looks like color transfer from something dyed with that color. The bottom pocket is block print madder reds and browns. There are some holes to the back linen fabric backing.

The floral embroidery consists of Carnations and stylized buds very consistent with sampler embroidery motifs done at the time. All the color in the cotton fabrics were naturally dyed. The size is also dynamic measuring 9 1/2" long and 3 1/2" wide.