Vintage.Sewing.Notions.Love : :

Just as soon as I fell in love with knitting, and more recently sewing, I began to keep an eye out for old knitting and sewing baskets and boxes while we are roaming around town and elsewhere. Each time I come across a new one and search through all the goodness, it feels like I am learning a bit about whomever owned it before me.

I'm always fascinated by the glimpse of someone's life that one can get from their sewing basket. How, years ago, nothing went to waste --- buttons from an old coat were carefully put away, tiny, pearly buttons from a baby's outfit were strung together for future use, embroidery floss, sewing scissors, and other sewing tools were treated with care and saved in these sewing baskets.

 

 Last weekend I picked up another one packed full and look what I got! New needles. New, sharp pins. Crochet hooks. Transfer pencils. Buttons galore. All other sorts of things that I have no ideas about or what their uses might be??? : )

And lots of my favorite --- Colorful threads on those wonderful wooden spools. There is something about those old labels on the ends of the spools...love.

I love finding new ways to appreciate some of these sewing related items by getting them out of the box, so to speak?  Of course, we can use the scissors, pins, and seam rippers, but other things might not be so useful.  I've learned from trial and error that it's not good to use the older spools of thread, especially with the sewing machine. The old threads weaken with age, making them prone to breakage.  But those colorful spools.....they can still be appreciated --- on a wooden spool rack, as bowl fillers, or in an old glass jar.

And I just love the history and connections behind all of it!