DARN IT!

It never ceases to amaze me the things that you find out in the big wide world......
The skittle shape item on the left in the first photo is a Cleminson Pottery sock darner from the US. The two unusual "thread figures" are for darning stockings - the one in the box says "I'm here to darn your hose". The label on the end of the box states 'PERI-LUSTA MENDING MAID Mercerised Cotton Made in England.The other figure says "I'se a maid to mend your hose" ....I purchased this one from the US. They would certainly bring a smile and add a touch of whimsey to the dreary chore of darning your socks and stockings.
















The second photo shows the bone knitting needle guards from the US and the lavender "knit stix" knitting needles from Banyan Tree in the UK that arrived today. When I first saw the picture of these "stix" in Simply Knitting, I had to order them. They have the inches marked down the length of the needles......something different! The other pair of knitting needles came from the US, I have had these some time.......they are red heart needles, dont they look great!!







































Isn't japanese crafting amazing? The amount of work that goes into each item is done so with great attention to detail. Omiyage and Kokoro no Te are both by Kumiko Sudo. The third book is all in japanese but is very similar to the first two books. I have taken the following paragraph from the inside cover of Kokoro no Te -

"Do you love the simple elegance of Japanese fashions and accessories crafted from fabric? Kokoro no Te - translated from Japanese to mean Handmade from the Heart - invites you to create an exquisite collection of totes, fashion pins, party tokens, and other delightful small crafts. Kumiko Sudo combines surprisingly simple sewing techniques with gorgeous colors and fabrics. There are beautiful purses and keepsake pouches made from silks, cottons, and soft felts, and decorated with pretty beading or Japanese-style embroidery. Or make one of Sudo's irrestible sewing accessories - thimbles, needle caches, and pincushions with a difference. There are even intricately designed Japanese temari balls and a pretty, doll-size kimono".

MEET MAUDE......

This is Maude. She came to live with us last week.
I don't know what she would say to all of the sewing clutter surrounding her -
maybe she has seen that sort of clutter before. Perhaps she previously lived
in a room above an old dressmakers shop - a room filled to the ceiling with bolts of fabric, patterns, laces and trims, buttons, and all other manner of sewing
paraphernalia. There would have been a most magnificent Singer treadle sewing machine sitting in the centre of the room, in constant use, never missing
a stitch. What secrets Maude and that Singer could hold!

And getting back to that clutter, here are two views of my display cabinet -
Could I squeeze another tatting shuttle or bodkin in there.......

BOOKSHELF

Where Women Create by Jo Packham

Here is the first paragraph from inside the cover.....
"Creativity comes from the heart and soul, but where you work can either interfere with or inspire the artistic process. For some, it may mean claiming a little nook in the family room. For others, it's important to set up a studio in order to start a business. Whatever your size limitations, you can carve out a space dedicated to making your dreams come true."

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.