Margaret Haworth was an adept sewer, making all her and her children’s clothes including a new annual ‘best’ dress and coat for each person.

Like many families in the aftermath of the depression, the domestic role Margaret undertook was one of the only options available, despite the fact that she was an intelligent and capable woman. She was accomplished in her domestic skills, not only sewing to dress her family well, but also embracing millinery to create the hats that were so essential to achieving the proper finishing touch for any outfit. She was also a masterful knitter. Sixty seven hand knitted cardigans were uncovered in her wardrobe when she moved to a rest home. Many were unworn or in near new condition; they were of course kept for only the best of occasions.

Read more about the history of home sewing in the New Zealand Fashion Museum publication Home Sewn.