Archangel (now Arkhangelsk) is a city in northern Russia, not terribly far from Finland. Can't you just imagine living a semi-nomadic lifestyle in the frozen tundra, but having a Singer sewing machine to help you stitch all those heavy wool and fur fabrics?
Next in our travels: a Singer sewist from Boulogne-ser Mer. Her costume is rather subdued, but the headpiece is wonderful! I wonder how that was constructed?
I'm enjoying the traditional headwear illustrated in this group of cards!
The "chimney pot" hat became symbolic of Welsh traditional dress in the mid-1880s.
Here is the only non-home sewing machine illustrated in this set of cards. This looks like it could be a Model 18, which has been put to use creating headwear!
I've rambled on enough for today, but I'll leave you with one final image to admire. In addition to the wonderful costumes, this card also hints at a tradition common to many sewists - enjoying music while stitching. Wouldn't it be great to have one's family supply music to make the stitching merrier? Could this be the 19th Century version of the iPod?
