I left for Florida with carry-ons, car seats, and a knot in my stomach…returned last week with fond memories, old and new, and a huge, soft leather suitcase filled with my grandmother’s vintage craft notions. Needles & threads, scissors & hooks, seemingly every measuring tool and crafting aid possibly available to your average 1950s June Cleaver 4-H club leader & sewist extrordinare.
Just when I thought my sewing studio was organized, I’m overwhelmed with the task of making room for these priceless treasures in my house, although they’ve already settled quite comfortably in my heart. First things first- must drag it all out and snap picks to post. As I pull out each dusty crochet booklet, each wooden spool and handmade pincushion, I feel like I’m suddenly curating for The Smithsonian, barely grasping the sacred relics. They smell like Grandma’s basement, where I used to sleep on an air mattress, sneaking peeks at vintage “housewifery” manuals tucked in some lowly dark bookcase and hoping that the creepy washing machine wouldn’t jump out and eat me.
This is probably the book that my grandmother either learned to crochet from, or used to teach my mother and her 4-H club. Price: 10 cents.
Perfect pleats are awesome, but what I’m really wondering is how do I get that hairstyle?
I officially never need to buy another crochet hook again in my life.
Darling little pincushion she probably made, or received as a gift. Each stitch undoubtedly stitched with great care & love.
Good ol’ Sears Kenmore. Why didn’t my machine come with a bobbin case like this??
This “Sew and Stitch” needle pack contains about 100 needles of all sizes and types. It’s price marked at 14 cents.
Possibly my most treasured pieces from the lot- Singer and Hearthside pinking shears, in the box, mint condition, complete with original warranty cards.
The scissors are all marked “S” on little pieces of masking tape…wouldn’t dream of removing them.
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