Vintage Sewing Notions!

I've been sewing since I was a little girl.  Unfortunately, Grandma Zetta couldn't sew for the life of her.  She once tried to make me and my sisters nightgowns for Christmas...let's just say "Epic Fail!"  My mother's mom, Grandma Patta, was responsible for my sewing gene.  It skipped a generation with Mom.  She tried...bless her heart...but we learned to hide whenever she got to the zipper part of her projects.  We'll talk more about Grandma Patta later.  She's the reason I love Vintage.  In her honor I collect vintage sewing notions and trims.  Nothing big or expensive...I buy what makes me happy.

Buttons!  I like rummaging through the shelves at D.I. because you never know what you'll find.

I inherited both grandmothers button jars.

I love the graphics on packets of needles.  They were often promotional items given away by stores such as Safeway.  Grandma Patta made sure that mine came with a needle threader.  She got tired of threading my needles.  Along with the needles, she gave me bags of fabric scraps and told me stories. We made Barbie doll clothes together. Hers were on commission from Santa Claus...no lie!  She was one of Santa's Helpers.  I met him once...but that's another story.

One way to display vintage notions is to make a bulletin board.  Mine uses pieces of embroidered doilies for pockets and part of an old dresser scarf.  I also have some old patterns, I will include another time. Vintage rick-rack is also fun...it comes in unusual colors.

I've always loved the tomato pin cushions. The red polka-dot mushroom pin cushion was made from a ceramic planter. Any little vintage planter would make a cute pin cushion. Just cut a circle of fabric and stitch around the outside to gather it.  Pull the stitches and stuff it with fiberfill...then stuff it in the opening.  You can glue it or not.

Grandma Patta learned to sew on a machine like this one.  Actually, I found this sewing machine in Germany on Trash Day.  Three or four times a year, people would pile old furniture (antiques) and rugs on the curb to be picked up by the garbage man...if the Americans didn't get there first that is!  What we consider antiques, they consider just "old crap."

More 40 Cent Books!

Two of the books I am making for my granddaughters.  I have eight, so a few more to go.

Luckily only five are in school.

Book Backs!

I am having so much fun embellishing these books that I went back to Walmart and bought 10 more with stripes! Have a happy and productive day,