The Sewing Box Saga
When I was in my teens, many years ago, Mother bought herself a new sewing box, and one for me. A pink plastic box, with louvered shelves. I kept mine for nearly 50 years and it went with me during countless moves. About a year ago it started falling to pieces - first one, then another of the hinges broke. So I decided it was time to send it to the big sewing box in the sky, and bought a small plastic tool box to use in its place. The original sewing box came with a little leather needle folder, which is still in one piece - can't remember if the box came with anything else.
Anyhow, the first visit my twin made after she had moved to the United States, she brought for me a load of reels of sewing thread in every colour imaginable. Why? Well, in one of the stores where she lived there was a special offer - a dozen reels for one dollar. I think she got maybe two dozen for me, which included 3 or 4 black, and the same white. In all the years since then, I am down to just 2 black and 2 white, and even though some of the others are getting rather low in thread, I still have the others with years of thread left. More than enough to last for another lifetime, and I've never had to buy any sewing thread since.
Not that I make clothes any more, haven't for years, but I always made my own curtains, and even fitted covers for furniture. In any case, my daughter made off with my sewing machine a few years ago, but no way would I part with my sewing box. I don't think my daughter ever sewed but she wanted my machine, and I haven't a clue what she did with it. Funny things, habits. If I have to throw out clothes that are not good enough to pass on, I always remove the buttons and zips, and keep them. Some times when I've bought a blouse or something which has buttons I don't like, I'll buy a pack of nice buttons. Usually the pack has more than I need, so the spare ones go in my button box with all the other buttons.
Sewing thread, buttons, zips, packs of needles, packs of elastic in various widths (black and white), various sizes of press studs and hooks and eyes, who knows when I might need them, but when I do, it's nice to know that I have them. I might not be able to do much these days, but can and still sew on a button, replace a zip, and repair hems and minor tears.
Old habits never die.
Anyhow, the first visit my twin made after she had moved to the United States, she brought for me a load of reels of sewing thread in every colour imaginable. Why? Well, in one of the stores where she lived there was a special offer - a dozen reels for one dollar. I think she got maybe two dozen for me, which included 3 or 4 black, and the same white. In all the years since then, I am down to just 2 black and 2 white, and even though some of the others are getting rather low in thread, I still have the others with years of thread left. More than enough to last for another lifetime, and I've never had to buy any sewing thread since.
Not that I make clothes any more, haven't for years, but I always made my own curtains, and even fitted covers for furniture. In any case, my daughter made off with my sewing machine a few years ago, but no way would I part with my sewing box. I don't think my daughter ever sewed but she wanted my machine, and I haven't a clue what she did with it. Funny things, habits. If I have to throw out clothes that are not good enough to pass on, I always remove the buttons and zips, and keep them. Some times when I've bought a blouse or something which has buttons I don't like, I'll buy a pack of nice buttons. Usually the pack has more than I need, so the spare ones go in my button box with all the other buttons.
Sewing thread, buttons, zips, packs of needles, packs of elastic in various widths (black and white), various sizes of press studs and hooks and eyes, who knows when I might need them, but when I do, it's nice to know that I have them. I might not be able to do much these days, but can and still sew on a button, replace a zip, and repair hems and minor tears.
Old habits never die.
posted by Cookie @ 1:16 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home