Pockets inspired by history

I’ve been exploring historical pocket designs for my knitwear collection over the past few months. The Long Island Museum and archive of Huntington Historical Society gave me access to their collection of costumes.

I worked inside the museums for several weeks, documenting my research with photos and detailed sketches.

My research focuses on the shapes and styles of pockets. I made a lot of sketches of detached pockets, small purses, decorated pouches. and sewn-on designs. The pockets were often sewn-on the garments or attached as accessories. Many costumes feature intricate embroidery and interesting details. They definitely tell fascinating stories through stitches and fabric.

The project “Pockets in Knitwear” is inspired by these vintage details. My collection is growing, so far I’ve created a few hand-knitted accessories, sweaters and illustrations. This sweater with a detachable pocket purse is inspired by 16th century pouches. I hand knit a versatile design of this sweater. You can wear the pocket tied around the waist, slung across the body or as a separate shoulder bag.

The sweater itself is crafted from a beautiful mohair-silk yarn, giving it a light and elegant texture. I incorporated randomly placed, top-stitched embroidery in a whimsical polka dot pattern, adding a playful touch.  The concept is modular: wear the two pieces separately or together for an entire look.

This project inspired by exploring historical pocket designs in modern knitwear. Stay tuned for more updates, behind-the-scenes sketches and upcoming pieces from my collection. Visit my YouTube Chanel for short video

This project is supported by Long Island Grants for the Arts through funds provided by the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Huntington Arts Council.

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