Something odd has been happening lately. Over and over, I keep running into theorem pieces. It is even happening in the oddest of places including the dressing room of a second hand shop. (Granted, I know the manager and suspect she is why it is there.) The first little piece that I can recall is the cutest little shell pincushion at an antique show. The design was faded to almost not being there. Then came several more similar pincushions in a photo with very bright flowers still on the velvet. A couple weeks later I noticed the one in the dressing room. A few more glimpses later, I get a message from Eileen with a link to a photo in the OSV collection which has several items with small pieces of theorem.
All these little run-ins is making me quite a bit camp sick because theorem used to be a hit among the Pioneer Days campers at Stone Tolan House.
With that in mind, I just have to make some of these little shell pincushions with the theorem. I’ve been wanting to make the pincushions with the shells. I even have shells saved from our first anniversary. Now that I’ve been seeing so many with the theorem, I just have to do that bit as well.
This little sewing case is darling with its theorem just inside the cover. It is also rather unusual to see the large pocket on the back side.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 
Love the little green and black pincushion on the bottom left! Is that a needle book or pin case it is sitting on?
Isn’t it adorable!?
I wish I could tell about the piece under it. I’ve seen needle-books crocheted in that shape but that piece doesn’t look like it has a second layer or pages. I wonder if it might be a base to the pincushion. I wouldn’t think that would be practical though.
A base makes sense, but it also has a little loop on it like it would be hung on a chatelaine or as part of a loop and button/bead to close a needlebook.
I’ll admit it – I’m totally lost. What do you mean by a “theorem” piece?!
That’s okay. I had no clue when I first heard the word either. It is a stenciling technique done on velvet which was fairly popular in the first half of the 19th century. It tends to feature fruit and flowers but occasionaly includes other subjects.