Hi, everyone! Today we're going to step away from the virus panic and enjoy a little treat, a bit of a virtual flea market or antiques shop treasure hunting. Everything I will be sharing with you today is from a delightful box of goodies sent to me by blog friend QB/ Amity quilter.
non-sewing and beach pics at the end, scroll down if you wish
Oh I had the best fun opening this envelope of treasures. I collect vintage sewing bits and bobs [thimbles are my main love] so I was fascinated by this collection that QB generously has shared. Her story was that most of the pieces came from a dusty box of sewing ''stuff'', including old Singer sewing machine parts, found in a shop in her former home of Oregon, years ago. I understand she really did well selling the contents on eBay; these are the tiny things that intrigued her and she had saved.
Now you may recall I'm not a fan of spring, but back in February when the big padded envelope arrived from QB, I was very much looking forward to spring 2020. Exciting things were happening for friends and family. I had planned our annual ''everyone's birthday'' dinner, with girlfriends [we celebrate all the spring and summer birthdays at one time].The much missed and much anticipated little church flea was expected to open mid-March. There would be the big flower and garden show ''we''---you all and I---always enjoy each year. The big flea's first Sunday was to be in late March. And yes, even a quilt show, a guild that comes to our village rec center for their bi-annual ''by the sea'' [lol] show. The show is small but what a treat for me, every other year. Real quilts! and quilters! Real fabric vendors. It's a big deal for me.
Of course such frivolity is now a thing of the past, so you can imagine how I again loved poring over the sewing fleas today as I took their photos to share.
I fell in love with this runner or tea towel instantly.
The sewing of the hems is amazing, so very fine, plus beautiful linen and hand crocheted edging. QB mentioned that I should use any and everything for my etsy shop sachets and pillow, but this is a ''keeper, " I think, at least for awhile. Though it would make a delightful herbal dream pillow---hmmm.
More linens:
below: This should be a long ''lumbar'' pillow, don't you think? Maybe for a bed? I'll put a small pocket for the optional lavender sachet. Sweet dreams!
Lace motifs for collars or yokes, on their original blue selling paper. Expensive back then $1.5o.
Another keeper, beautiful edging, hand crocheted, for pillow cases.
It's made in the circular way so there'd be no seams. At first I'd planned to use it on flannel cases, but then I decided to wait and see. Now I'm thinking a very sweet rosebud floral for summer?
Darling and unusual pre-made bias double fold tape, like for quilt binding.
This will be the binding of my 2020-21 Christmas quilt project. I estimate it's about a yard, so I better plan ahead, on my little quilt.
More bias double fiold, much older, much narrower. JC Penney "Penimaid, 8 cents a pack. 1930s.
The green is especially lovely, with its art deco graphics.
The reverse shows styling hints, colors that go with.
And if we ever wanted to know for sure just what color "Nile Green" is, here we go:
And then: a handful of small sewing kits. In more frugal times ladies carried these in their purses.
Be prepared: this useful small plastic box may be a beach bag staple. I can't tell you how many times I schlep the 3/4 mile to the beach only to realize I forgot my needle.
Larger but still tiny tins like this were for travel. Hotels would stock a little kit like this in each room. I have a few modern ones from my own long ago travels, including from the Grand Floridian Hotel in Disney World.
Dear little red thimble.
And a still sharp, still shiny threaded needle, see it on top of the spools?. Just imagine, last touched 50, 60 or more years ago.
Tiny wooden spools of nicely sturdy cotton in neutral tones: sew a button, darn an elbow, mend a lisle stocking. "Klosten's Darning Floss" is stamped on the little wooden reels.
More emergency sewing kits: at first I wondered why QB included matchbooks?
Note above, phone number is only four digits.
I looked closer, were they places of interest from the time when everyone smoked? But NO! They are, again, sewing kits. And they feature the lost art of fixing runs in nylon or silk stockings. Imagine that. The ''matches'' had a glue type product on them that could be dabbed on stocking runs.
These probably date from the late 1940s or early 50s [or earlier? 3os? anyone know?]. Not WW2, when women had no stockings at all and would draw the seam-line up their calves to emulate stocking seams. Yes, stockings 75 years ago had seams. What would they have thought about pantyhose? Or--bare legs, like former princess Megan Markel introduced to the British royals. Back in the 40s and 50s stockings were both a cultural norm and a sexy accessory. No bachelor would propose to a slutty girl with bare legs, unless she was in tennis whites.
More finds, sweetest little Sunbonnet Sue note card and pattern.
I have a similar though modern version of a vintage pattern, a Basket. I'd love to frame them someday.
I love the little school notebook Sue pattern. And note to Norma [Noreen? thx, Mel, yes, Noreen]. Handwriting was so different back then.
A souvenir postcard from Spain.
Very fragile, I stored it in a protective baggie.
The young woman happily sewing in the cobbled courtyard on her treadle machine, while the neighbors look on with interest. Note her machine is a Singer; the lettering is reversed.
Lovely fine weight perle cotton, from France, perhaps for lace making, or lace edge crochet?
A small wooden needle case.
These are still sold today, usually with specific needles. This one has instead three carefully saved sewing machine needles.
Rolled up in the edge of a vintage letter envelope for Oregon.
These old ''bitsies'' as my mom would have called them, have given so much pleasure, looking over, imagining them, researching their history.
Thank you so much, QB. A special gift in these times of turmoil.
...
Off topic: links after beach pics at the end, scroll down
If you're tired of sewing or can't focus, I have two online reccs: Shetland, the TV version of Ann Cleeves' novels. On Amazon Prime [?]Videos. Interesting, though lots of baleful, loaded stares and pauses. And Jimmy Perez is cast so wrong. Shetland is lovely, filmed on the islands off Scotland.
And, since I cannot do much beachcombing right now, on YouTube: Nicola White / Mudlarking the Thames River in London. Finds back to Roman times and earlier; and more vids by her friend Si-Finds. Both have lots of interesting half hour videos with extensive history of the items they find. All links at the end of this post.
Mental health professionals advise us to stay busy, and especially to stay on schedule; that keeping normal is the way to cope. "Don't hang around in your pjs til 2 PM," insisted one guy. Mo wishes to disagree. Here he is , okay no pjs, but back in bed, 2.14 PM, loving his blanky nest and underneath, his kennel warmer.
Because it is another low sky dark grey day.
love
lizzy
gone to the beach.....
april 2014
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| piping plover |
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oystercatcher |
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| oystercatcher nest, marked by beach residents. There's an egg there but I can't find it. |
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| Zzzzzzzz |
QB's blog Amity Quilter
Nicola White Mudlarking the Thames here
Si-Finds Mudlarking here
*mudlarking is a British term for beachcombing freshwater areas like rivers, streams, estuaries
Shetland: TV series based on Ann Cleeves novels here
Lecien Fabrics
Detailed but very interesting website page about wearing stockings, anklets, kneesocks etc in he 1940s here
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