1858 - Desmanthus virgatus Seeds in Ladies Fancy Work

Appearing in the Journal of the Society of the Arts in 1858, this mention of seeds used in ladies' fine work has me looking for magazine articles with patterns and pictures.  So far no luck.   The original pattern guides must be out there!  Winter is coming, the perfect time for searching.   Until then you may like to follow up on the folio of watercolors that illustrate the plant which seeds were used in decorative crafts at that time. 

 It is also commonly called, says Wikipedia, "wild tantan,  prostrate bundleflower,  dwarf koa,  desmanto,  acacia courant, acacia savane,  pompon blank,  adormidera,  brusca prieta,  frijolillo, ground tamarind,  guajillo,  guashillo,  huarangillo,  langalet,  petit acacia,  petit cassie, petit mimosa,  virgate mimosa,  and slender mimosa,  as well as simply desmanthus." 

"The small brown seeds, something like apple pips, so commonly used, when strung thickly together, for bracelets, work-bags, nets for the hair, and other ornamental work, are the produce of Desmanthus virgatus. They are frequently dyed black for effect."

This illustration is from unpublished watercolors from 1883-1888.  Dr. A. Stahl published, on his own, a series of volumes for Etudios sobre para la flora de Porto-Rico  but the last volume was not done.

Fabaceae. Stahl Watercolor Number 130b, species Desmanthus virgatus
@ Smithsonian Institution

1887 - Memories, and Instructions for a Pumpkin Seed Mat

This is a charming and useful article from the American Agriculturist, Volume 36 in 1877. Since it is pumpkin season here in Connecticut I thought I had better post it!  When you think of the perseverance needed to finish a mat it really becomes astounding when you know first graders were doing it as well as older girls and women.

PUMPKIN-SEED MATS.

A question comes to me, which should go to Aunt Sue, but as there is no time to send it to her and get a reply, and as the seeds are likely to be more plenty this month than later, I take the liberty of answering it myself, though out of my line. 

The Doctor. 

Yes, Alice B., I have "heard of pumpkin-seed mats," and what is more, of' melonseed bags. 

When I was a youngster the girls and young women carried a reticule, and the old women carried a bag;   they were, both the same thing, but it was thought more genteel to say reticule. These bags were of various sizes, shapes, and materials, and answered the place of pockets. No doubt your fathers and mothers can recollect what a wonderful thing their grandmother's bag was, and the many nice things that came out of it. The bags of the older persons were strong and large; those of the young girls were small, and of some fancy material, often of beads of various colors, worked into pretty figures. 

At one time melon-seed bags were in fashion; these were made of the seeds of the musk-melon, and black, cut glass beads of various sizes; these were, strung on strong silk, to make an open-work net, and this was lined with silk. These bags were very pretty, and no one would guess at the material without first examining it closely. 

But, about the pumpkin-seed mat. The seeds—those of squash will answer quite as well—are to be dried, then all thin, poor and small ones picked out so as to have them alike in size: if the thin film or skin of the seeds has not fallen off in drying, it should be rubbed off to leave a clear white surface. 

You will need some very strong linen thread and a needle. Begin by stringing 18 seeds, passing the needle and thread through their small ends, and tie the thread securely; this will give you a rosette of seeds, standing on their edges.

Now between each two of these seeds put two other seeds, the thread passing through the large ends of the seeds in the first row, and through the small ends of the seeds in the second row.  The diagram will show you how this is done.

For the third row, put three seeds between the pairs in the second row, and so continue, using four seeds for the next, and so on, until the mat is large enough.  If intended for a toilet, the mat may be finished with a fringe on the edge, and a bow in the center, of any desired color.  If it is to be used for a tea-pot, then it is better to be left plain, except for a bow in the middle.  If strong thread is used, and the knots at each row carefully made, the mat will be much more serviceable than one would suppose.

• An older post: 1820 - 1920 - Melon Seed Reticules!... Who Knew?
  
• 1852 - For a list of handicrafts submitted for display that shows how popular seeds were take a look at The Book of the Exhibition: Annual Exhibition of the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, Baltimore
• "...comical chickens made of pumpkin-seeds and beads will delight the little ones."  I bumped into this sentence in an 1891 Xmas issue of Demorest's Family Magazine