TOOL, CHATELAINE

This modern ‘chatelaine’ is a sewing kit, with basics of scissors, pins, needle holder, for the hand embroiderer which is worn around the neck for easy access to the implements. Made by the donor in Perth in 1997 with ceramic beads purchased when on an embroidery tour of China in 1996.

Chatelaines have changed over time. The word "chatelaine" comes from the French word "châtelaine," meaning "mistress of a castle" or "lady of the manor”. In the 16th to 19th centuries, women's clothing lacked pockets so she wore a chatelaine, a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. To each was attached an essential household item such as keys, sewing tools, a purse, watches, smelling salts, and household

seals

In contemporary times, chatelaines made of fabric, enable the embroiderer to easily carry a number of sewing implements. No longer confined to the waist, modern chatelaines can be worn as necklaces, brooches, or even attached to bags, offering a versatile way to carry needlework tools.