Why are embroidery shaped like storks?
Any guesses?
Well, The National Museum of American History uncovered a pair of stork scissors, once belonging to midwife named Rosa Bonfante from Sicily, Italy.
The stork scissors, a part of her midwifery kit, were not actually scissors, but a clamp for the umbilical cord of the baby.
A large midwife group in the US also uncovered that the beaks were offset rather than straight, and rounded instead of sharp with dull blades. In addition, that midwives often did needlework in their spare time whilst waiting for things to progress in the delivery room.
As a result, midwives often kept their medical tools alongside their sewing kits meaning their stork clamps often got mixed in with their sewing kit contents. As time passed, the stork umbilical cord clamp evolved to the stork embroidery scissor we know and love today.
Can you look at them the same way ever again?
I absolutely love a story like this and it’s one of my favourite questions l get asked in workshops l run.
I stock Janome embroidery scissors in my shop and they are also available to buy along with my embroidery kits.
Have a great day