I am going to have to admit this in public! I am a fanatic when it comes to vintage sewing boxes. If I see one at a garage or estate sale, I just cannot pass it up. I have to stop and check out the contents. "Back in the day" you did not always have a department store handy or even enough money to purchase anything in a store. You made due with what was on hand so it was very important not to waste anything. This is where the sewing box comes in. This is where your grandmother (or mother, depending upon your age) stashed anything and everything she thought she might need again. It did not have to be a fancy wood box that looked like a piece of furniture. It could be an old toffee or cookie tin (I love the graphics of old cookie tins). It was what was inside that counted! I have found such treasures as old tax tokens from Washington State. Lots of hooks and eyes (you may not know what these are but they took the place of a button on a lot of
garments). Tons of darning eggs. I have actually practiced using one of these little things and they are pretty nifty. Darning a small hole in a linen or sock was preferred to throwing the item out and losing the entire piece. Seam binding tape, replacement shoulder straps, replacement garters, etc. If you don't know what a garter is, you are sooooo lucky! They are early torture devices used to hold up nylon stockings. Heaven help you if one broke or came loose. Lets just say, it was not a pretty sight. I have found bone sewing implements to help thread elastic and ribbon through holes. There are usually a few packets of needles present. They were usually free "give away" samples printed with the local department or grocery store name and address. Some of these needle packets are terrific works of art! There were always little wood tubes filled with replacement sewing machine needles. Lots of shears and scissors that have lasted decades and are still very useful. Little bits of embroidery floss and lots of wood spools of thread. Bits and pieces of lace and fabric scraps waiting for the next quilt to be made. And then of course, there are the buttons! My favorite part! Buttons! You never threw out a totally worn garment with the buttons still attached! They were removed and added to the button box. Buttons
are a topic all their own in another blog post, but suffice it to say, you can get lost in the world of buttons! I drool and have to purchase the entire sewing basket if I find a Bakelite or old coat button! If a member of the family served in the military, you will always find those old uniform buttons (which are collectible today). You may find half finished tatting projects with the shuttle and thread still attached. There was a way of making the most
functional item look like a work of art. Whimsical and beautiful pin cushions are a great example of this (the little lady to the right is a pin cushion with a measuring tape that you will find if you pull on her nose). My point is, we now live in a disposable world that does not take time to "repair" a garment or linen. Sewing on a missing button is a lost art! Maybe this is something we should look at carefully; maybe our ancestors had something special that we are missing. Time to sit in a chair and visit while doing needlework or taking pride in being a "thrifty" homemaker for our families. Don't pass up these little "time capsules". They are so much fun to paw through and you never know what you will find!
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She is a porcelain half doll pincushion
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Pretty quilted pink sewing box filled with treasures!
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| These old toffee tins made great button boxes |
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| Old cookie tins had wonderful graphics! |
I am going to have to admit this in public! I am a fanatic when it comes to vintage sewing boxes. If I see one at a garage or estate sale, I just cannot pass it up. I have to stop and check out the contents. "Back in the day" you did not always have a department store handy or even enough money to purchase anything in a store. You made due with what was on hand so it was very important not to waste anything. This is where the sewing box comes in. This is where your grandmother (or mother, depending upon your age) stashed anything and everything she thought she might need again. It did not have to be a fancy wood box that looked like a piece of furniture. It could be an old toffee or cookie tin (I love the graphics of old cookie tins). It was what was inside that counted! I have found such treasures as old tax tokens from Washington State. Lots of hooks and eyes (you may not know what these are but they took the place of a button on a lot of
garments). Tons of darning eggs. I have actually practiced using one of these little things and they are pretty nifty. Darning a small hole in a linen or sock was preferred to throwing the item out and losing the entire piece. Seam binding tape, replacement shoulder straps, replacement garters, etc. If you don't know what a garter is, you are sooooo lucky! They are early torture devices used to hold up nylon stockings. Heaven help you if one broke or came loose. Lets just say, it was not a pretty sight. I have found bone sewing implements to help thread elastic and ribbon through holes. There are usually a few packets of needles present. They were usually free "give away" samples printed with the local department or grocery store name and address. Some of these needle packets are terrific works of art! There were always little wood tubes filled with replacement sewing machine needles. Lots of shears and scissors that have lasted decades and are still very useful. Little bits of embroidery floss and lots of wood spools of thread. Bits and pieces of lace and fabric scraps waiting for the next quilt to be made. And then of course, there are the buttons! My favorite part! Buttons! You never threw out a totally worn garment with the buttons still attached! They were removed and added to the button box. Buttons
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