Last updated on August 27th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Especially in the mid to late 1800s, crochet (and knitting and netting) patterns routinely call for “silk purse twist”, “purse silk”, “fine purse twist”, “third size purse silk”, “common sized purse silk” and “extra coarse purse twist”. Purse silk was a 3 ply thread with a very tight twist to it made out of, obviously, silk. Purse twist did come in several sizes but it appears that “Size EE” was the most common and widely available size. Common vintage and antique brands include Heminway Silks Co., Corticelli, Richardsons Silk Co., Victoria and Belding Brothers. I’ve posted samples of some of these below and will post more as I find more.
Descriptions of “Purse Twist” from the 1800s-1900s:
- 1844 edition of The Lady’s Work Book: “Silk.—This material is extensively used in the various productions of which we are about to treat. The kinds usually employed in Knitting, Netting, and Crochet, are purse silk, or twist; coarse and fine netting silk; second sized purse twist; plain silk; China silk; extra fine, and finest netting silk; second sized netting silk; coarse and fine chenille, and crochet silk. These are so well known that it would be a waste of time to describe them in detail. They are of a great variety of colors, and of different qualities; some sorts being much more durable, both in fabric and color, than others. No young lady should trust, at first, to her own judgment in making the selection: but a little attention will soon render her a proficient in the art of choosing the most profitable materials. The China silks of the French surpass all others, of that kind, with which we are acquainted, both as to the nature of tints, and the brilliancy of the various dyes and shades.”
- 1902: “A purse twist is “a three-cord thread of special spin and twist.” According to the Nonotuck Silk Company, purse twists were “smooth working and of great durability,” and ideal for “purses…and other crocheted articles.” Silk: Its Origins, Culture, and Manufacture (The Nonotuck Silk Company, 1902).
Suggested Modern Alternatives
Silk beading cord: I’ve not found modern day silk beading cord in size EE at all so I’m not entirely sure what size EE would be today, much less 170+ years ago. Modern Size E is 0.0128 inch/ 0.325mm, Size F is 0.0137 inch/0.348mm, Size FF is 0.015 inch/ 0.381mm, and modern Size FFF is 0.0165 inch/ 0.419mm wide; therefore, I believe Size EE would be somewhere between E and FFF probably somewhere between E and F (0.325mm to 0.348mm). Therefore, I do believe that modern silk beading cord in sizes E, F, FF or FFF would all make good modern substitutions for antique and/or vintage silk purse twist cords/threads. Having said that, to me, it appears that modern silk beading cord has an ever so barely slightly looser twist to it. Simply Silk and Beadsmith beading cord (Size E, F, FF, FFF) and Griffin Natural Silk (in Size 1) are some modern brands to consider. I’ve used silk beading cord in many different projects over the years ranging from macramé to crochet to needlepoint to beading and I’ve always been super pleased with how it works up and how it holds up over time. If you purchase it on the spool, it’s a decent value, too, getting 100-200 yards (depending on cord size) for $8-$15 a spool. (Side note: I usually find it’s cheaper to buy from a small biz shop online or in person than through big sites like Amazon, even when you factor in shipping costs. For example, Fire Mountain Gems – not a promo, no affiliation – has a great selection and $6.99 flat rate shipping for up to 20 pounds … works out $5-$8 cheaper per spool than buying on Amazon.)
Size 5, 8 or 10 Silk Pearl is a lovely modern alternative, too, although it gets really expensive quickly as I’ve yet to find it available as anything other than small 10 yard cards (~$5-$7 a card) or 15 yard skeins (~$7-$10 a skein). I’ve used Size 5 a lot in needlepoint but have never tried crocheting with it; however, based on how it works up in needlepoint, I believe it would crochet wonderfully. Note silk pearl tends to be slightly tighter/thinner than the same size of cotton perle. Size 8 or 10 is likely the most equivalent in size to 1800s purse twist and probably is the closest match from a historical perspective.
12 strand needlepoint silk: Another modern alternative is 12 strand needlepoint silk. Most likely, 3 to 4 strands would work best; making a few test stitches or swatches should help you figure out how many strands to use. Needlepoint silk is available in a gazillion colors. Do be aware that in my experience, needlepoint silk doesn’t seem to hold up long term in a crocheted item that is handled a lot, such as a purse or handbag. While I’ve not had any issues with splitting the strands when I’m crocheting, it is something to avoid while working a pattern, of course. I find it gets fuzzy over time. Perhaps twisting the strands tightly before/during crocheting would improve the wear. It can also get expensive quickly to purchase enough for a pattern.
Note: Don’t use “art silk”. When searching for silk thread/cord, you may come across something very low priced marketed as “art silk” or less often as “craft silk”. Don’t use it because it’s not silk; it’s really cheaply made low quality rayon and it isn’t strong at all. It does not handle the tension of crochet and will break randomly often.
6 strand cotton embroidery floss is a significantly cheaper option than needlepoint silk and would work much the same – use 3 to 4 strands, avoid splitting the strands when crocheting, and be aware of the possibility of fuzzy wearing over time.
Size 8 Perle Cotton is a smidge thicker than antique and vintage Size EE silk purse twist; however, perle cotton is 2 ply with a looser twist so it will not wear as well silk purse twist. Patternsalacarte has written up a nice post discussing purse twist and comparing silk purse twist to Size 8 perle cotton (her image below) which I definitely recommend reading.
Size 20 or 30 mercerized cotton crochet thread is a great value and likely comparable in size but isn’t historically accurate for patterns before 1844 (when the mercerization process was invented). As mercerized cotton crochet thread became more widely available, it definitely was used in lieu of silk often as there’s many, many purses and bags in museums and private collections made from this material that have been reliably dated to the 1850s-1880s. Size 20 or 30 is widely available today but color choices are very, very limited. I can’t remember the last time I saw either size in something other than white or ecru.
Having said all of that … I use Size 10 mercerized cotton crochet thread more than anything else when I’m crocheting vintage and antique patterns that call for purse twist or similar size. Size 10 cotton crochet thread is a great value, easy to find with a good variety of colors to choose from. As I have lots of #10 crochet thread on hand, I’m very comfortable using this size thread to crochet, and I don’t mind adjusting patterns for my own needs. It’s become my default go-to first choice whenever I crochet patterns from the 1800s when historicity is not a desire or goal for a project. While I don’t have precise measurements of the differences between Size 10 crochet cotton and 1800s purse silk, I’ve found reducing the number of starting chains by about a third to half or just above half (to accommodate repeats) and/or adjusting number of rows are the only adjustments I need to make to a pattern.
Patterns of the 1800s pretty much never listed a gauge/tension at all and rarely included a final size. Sometimes, they don’t even include how many chains are needed for the starting chain! This means the final size is the crocheter’s choice, not the pattern’s choice. Many crochet patterns of the mid 1800s are written almost as suggestions – as a starting point – leaving it to the person reading the pattern to adjust the size of thread/yarn and hook they are using to achieve the final size they wanted. This can seem a bit intimidating to a modern crocheter used to precise, step-by-step pattern instructions but really, there’s a certain creative freedom to be found in following a pattern that doesn’t dictate everything to you. Ultimately, it’s your project, use whatever thread or yarn you want to use and make it whatever size you want!
Belding Brothers and Belding Hemingway Silk Purse Twist
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist Threads
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 137 Lily Grey (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 637 Crimson Rose (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 904 Blue (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 914.5 Purple Blue (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 954.3 Bronze (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 982.1 Canary (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 966 Seal Brown (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1002.5 Olive Green (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1009 Bronze Green (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1016.1 Nile Green (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1054.5 Orange (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1061 Scarlet (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1062 Cardinal (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1063 Cardinal (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1098 Old Rose (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Purse Twist, Color 1164 Platinum Grey. Image: Ebay user KatyGal
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1172.3 Slate (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1189.1 Gray (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1190 Blue White (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Corticelli Silk Purse Twist, Color 1192 Cream White (in 1902 advertisement) (not pictured)
Richardson Silk Purse Twist Threads
Victoria Purse Twist
Purse Twist Advertisements
1809: The Repository of Arts, Literature, Commerce, Manufactures, Fashions and Politics. So far, this is the oldest mention I’ve found of “purse twist”.
1900?: Brainerd & Armstrong purse twist advertisement found in their catalog of silks, available on Archive.org.
A catalog of Brainerd & Armstrong silks from around 1900 is available on Archive.org.
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