crazyhaberdasher

Introduction

We have been collecting sewing items for a number of years in the hope that one day we will have a sewing museum. Together with my husband Chris, we have treadle sewing machines, featherweights, toy sewing machines, miniature sewing machines, sewing tins, workboxes, workbaskets, sewing kits, sewing books, sewing cases, tools, notions, anything to do with knitting, crochet, tatting, patterns, pincushions, darners, thimbles and holders, buttons - loose and on cards, in fact, you name it, we would probably have it in some form. But let me state that it would be impossible to ever have a complete collection. I have many books on needlework tools and accessories and they are excellent publications and very informative on the subject - it is surprising just the variety of sewing items that you might find. Many items were handmade, many items were made using written instructions, some using patterns from magazines, or patterns from needlework books, and other items were manufactured and mass produced.
Throughout my blogs, I will be showing some of my collections - I say "collections" for there are many different types.

The items you see in the following photo arrived today - I have a bit of reading to do this evening!You will see there is a new book on knitting needle gauges by Sheila Williams. I had the good fortune to see her lecture on the subject when she was in Australia earlier in the year at the needlework tool collectors club meeting. Just fascinating.....I thoroughly recommend it to anyone. You will be seeing some of my collection of gauges soon. A Wimberdar gauge also arrived today.

There is a child's knitting bobbin set pictured as well as a "Knitter" in its original packet. Again, you will be seeing some of my collection of these on my blog from time to time. (These are known by different names - knitting nancy, french knitter, knitting bobbin, etc.)


The following photo shows just some of the handmade sewing accessories that I have - some are old and some have been made by me.

I made the card sewing box and also the pink and blue crocheted wishbone thimble holder, the green crocheted pincushion, the cat pincushion, the pink and light green crocheted thimble holder (the one on the left) the orange crocheted thimble holder, and the tortoise needlecase.
I have many old patterns for making your own sewing accessories - as well as knitting patterns, and crochet patterns. The variety for making pincushions alone is mindboggling.