Hi I regret to inform you all that Marian passed away from Endometrial cancer on the 30th of October 2020 She will be sadly missed by all.

Please see your your doctor/physician for any unusual pains or bleeding. If they wont do anything persist or get a 2nd opinion.

Chris Clark

This is the link to the Tobin Bros website for Marian Clark

in turn they can light a candle and also leave a message in memory of Marian.

https://tobinbrothers.com.au/tribute/details/18148/Marian-Clark/obituary.html?fbclid=IwAR0Stw5EeuY5nGKJEb2XGdqAIYz7Sc6x9c7NbTTrUswbGpLFi1ziI0a8j6g#tribute-start

AUSTRALIANA

 I am still collecting and here are some of my Australiana collection for you.😀

The kookaburra is a thimble holder - it has a wooden post at the back of it.

....oooo....

Brand New Group on Yahoo!

Collecting Vintage Sewing

and Knitting

I want to announce a new group on Yahoo

called - Collecting Vintage Sewing and Knitting -

If you are a keen collector of anything to do with vintage sewing

and or knitting (including tatting, weaving, spool knitting, crochet, etc.)

and would like to join us, please do!

Vintage also does not have to literally be vintage! There are lots

of wonderful things to discover in this very wide field of

sewing and knitting.

Also, it is your collection and we respect that,  what you

like and want to collect....

be they novel, unusual, well-used, or perhaps reproduction.

I hope to see you there.

*******

Vintage Needlework Tools

VINTAGE NEEDLEWORK TOOLS

and ALTERNATIVES

How many collectors are finding it more difficult

to afford collecting needlework tools?

I had left my collecting of needlework tools for

about two years and was concentrating on

spool knitters or knitting nancies (they

are called by many names - you can catch

up with these great knitters on my other blog -

http://spoolknitter.blogspot.com

I have just lately again started to search

for needlework tools and found that the

prices have jumped astronomically!

So many items are now priced at over $100 and

well up to $200 (Buy it now) including needlebooks and pocket

sewing kits.

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion

that I will now just look for those items that

have a novelty/quirkiness to them of which I

have seen for much "reasonable" prices.

Just by my recent searches, I have found

 more affordable items are that made

of wood. Some are commercially made, and some are

handmade. A lot of them hold pincushions which I must say

suits me - I am a HUGE fan of pincushions.

One example below is - foreign made by

Klimax Gift Series. The box measures 9cms X 6cms.

The contents are - a tape measure which becomes the stand

for a cute little gnome, a very small pincushion, and a 

small mushroom which can be used as a 

darning tool (though this is not

mentioned on the box).

Now, if you are one of the faithful readers of my blog,

(and I apologize for the lack of posts), then you would 

know that I also love anything to do with crinoline

ladies.

I found this novel cotton/spool holder below.

Measuring at 20 1/2cms in height and 

16 1/2 cms in width at base there is no indication

of who or where it was made (I did purchase it

from the US)

In the boxed section at the base, there are 4 posts

to hold the cottons/spools. With a hole at the top for placing

on a hanger on the wall and 4 cut lines coming down from

the wavy section of the box, it becomes a dispenser -

 the threads would

be held in the cut grooves. You could also keep the 

needle packets/books and scissors in this section,

handy for quick repairs.

So though it is not a tool, it is still a lovely,

novelty sewing item to have.

I had at one time made some sewing stands for sale - a

photo of some are below - I do hope to make some

more soon.

There is a lot to be said for handmade, as so many of

the vintage needlework necessities were. They

hold a charm of their own.

I would love to hear your thoughts about your

own collections, and if you also make your

own "vintage necessities".

**********

Old Favourites

A love of collecting vintage sewing

tools, books, patterns

has always included searching

for vintage sewing accessories

to make.

I have a collection of felt

needlecases which include

the ever-popular

bonnet lady needlecases

and wide-brimmed hat needlecases,

I found these two patterns in

a vintage Madame Weigel's

(Australian magazine) Journal

of Fashion - October 1, 1945.

Here they are for you to enjoy.

(click for larger image)

******

Sewing Companion Dolls

++++++++

Among my vintage sewing

collections, I have many folders

lining the shelves in my

sewing room full of vintage

patterns.

Once upon a time, I used

to have a stall at a

trash 'n' treasure market.

I used to stock much of the stall

with bazaar items, many that I

had made using patterns that

I had purchased either from

new Women's magazines or

from vintage magazines that I found

myself at trash 'n' treasure markets.

I would look for any of thoses that

included patterns for dolls and toys, bazaar items,

items for fetes, babies, and above all,

Christmas gifts.

Not to say that once I had access to

a computer ..... well, the whole

world opened up to me!! 

Sewing Companion Dolls

Would it be fair to say that these

companion dolls have evolved from

the chatelaine?

They serve the same purpose - to hold

all the necessary sewing equipment needed

and close-by for the needlewoman.

The pictures below are taken from

vintage magazines and a commercial

pattern. The dolls are both novel

and charming.

This is Grizelda, and she has the added

bonus of being a workbag.

(1930's)

 

This is Sally Spool from

Star Gift Book No. 48

The American Thread Company

(1930's)

This is the "Sewing Doll" from

Simplicity Crafts 5227.

(2004)

This is called "Johnny-on-the-spot",

a crocheted cowboy from 

Crochet Money-Makers for your Bazaar

Book No. 278 

J & P Coats . Clark's ONT

(1951)

 

This is "Sammy Spool"

another crocheted doll from

Gifts Galore by

Coats & Clark's Book No. 183

(1968)

This sweetie is a design from the

well-known Jean Greenhowe of

the English Women's Weekly, a fabulous

designer of dolls, toys, and

gifts, knitted and sewn as well as wooden

toys. (1983)

I actually picked up a handmade doll

from a local bazaar about 25 years ago, paying

just $2. I still have this doll (pic below)

and discovered that it is the Jean Greenhowe

sewing doll just 20 years later when I

managed to come across the EWW

magazine issue with the pattern included.

It may be not quite as well made as the

original, but I still like her.

One day I will attempt to make one of

my own.

In the course of "vintage

sewing" collecting, I have also

found these two delightful versions

below.

There is a website called "Gail Wilson Designs"

which sell as a kit or a completed doll called -

"The Ladies Home Sewing Companion"

All of Gail Wilson Dolls are an absolute

delight and worth the visit ....

Click HERE for the New Items

and scroll down to see the "sewing"

dolls.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Jennifer Murphy

Ever since I saw Jennifer Murphy

on the "Martha" show,

I became a fan of her work.

Her originals are a little

beyond me in price but I

am happy to go with the

licensed items of

her designs.

Being a Pin Cushion Collector

(among a million other things!)

I couldn't resist her little

Pearl the Pig pincushion (below).

Jennifer's website can be found

here

and she has a blog

here 

The links to her spot on "Martha" are

here for the pom pom bunny and  
here  for her pumpkin people.

(The particular segments can be
found at the right-hand side of
the page - you will need to click
on the arrow for further videos
on the show which are in two parts.)

∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏