SEW MUCH FUN - PART THREE

Previous posts of "Sew Much Fun" about Clark's O.N.T. collectibles may be viewed here and here.  This post includes some of the other old sewing paraphernalia I've accumulated over the years.

My grandmother taught me to embroider when I was about five years old -- I enjoyed it, but was always anxious to try making something on the sewing machine.  A friend of my mother's evidently saw the sewing gleam in my eye, because she gave me this little toy Singer sewing machine and iron.  They had belonged to the friend when she was a little girl.  The patent date on what is left of the instruction pamphlet is 1922.  I loved playing with this little machine and iron at the time -- I was told that to have good sewing skills, you also need good pressing skills.  I really cherish this gift now -- some 70 years later!!

By age eleven, I was a whiz on an adult sewing machine, and made my first quilt for my doll from my grandmother's and great-grandmother's apron and dress scraps.  At age 15, I bought my own sewing machine on lay-away -- $5.00 a month for 9 months -- that seemed like a very long 9 months waiting for my machine!

I haven't stopped sewing since (or accumulating vintage sewing stuff from both sides of my family).  This was my other grandmother's sewing encyclopedia from the 1940s and is stuffed with clippings and notes.

As a child, I was fascinated with this type of sewing basket - the ones with the beads, foreign coins and tassels - exotic stuff for a kid on the prairies of Colorado!  And, they were always full of sewing accouterments.

One of the best things about being a sewer and quilt maker has been all of the people I've met through guilds and groups.  They have given me their friendship, plus so many handmade gifts -- needle books, pin cushions, lots of quilted hearts, and adorable little creatures!

These little dolls are about 1 1/2" tall - impeccable workmanship.

I guess it was only natural being the oldest grandchild (and girl) on both sides of my family that I should inherit my grandmother's and great-grandmother's sterling silver thimbles.  What a treasure with the wonderful engravings!

Advertising thimbles have been fun to collect, also.

That's it for today's post -- some day I'll dig out the button boxes with all of the vintage buttons, plus some other little bits and bobs.

I'll leave you for now with this page I have from a Dick and Jane book - 1940s.  I was always so proud as a kid that one of the characters' name was Sally.  Here is Sally watching as "Mother Makes Something".  What is ironic is that my mother never sewed a thing -- the sewing gene skipped her generation!

I'm joining the following:
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday
Confessions of a Plate Addict for The Scoop Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 
Knick of Time Interiors for Vintage Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday
From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Nancherrow for Fridays Unfolded
The Dedicated House for Anything Blue Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks