Spools of fun

One of the best purchases I made during the day of yard sale-ing was this wicker sewing box. I've been half-looking for one for a couple of months because the pencil case I use to store my embroidery floss and needles in is just not working. I know, I'm surprised too.

I picked up this box for $2. Perfect size, decent shape, the elastic to close it needs to be replaced, but for $2, you can't complain.

Two dollars for the box alone was a steal. The box and the contents for $2? When I showed my mom the contents, it was like we'd discovered some glorious treasure... but when you consider we're both seamstresses - of different skill levels, but still - and like nifty things, it was like finding a treasure.

There were many spools of thread. These five - the wooden spools - are probably going to end up sitting in my thread box forever, never to be used, because they're wooden spools. I don't expect that they're worth anything to a collector, but they're worth something to me, a history nut. Like the spool in the top left corner - from the T. Eaton Company, a company that was once the cornerstone of retail in Canada, and no longer exists. There are spools from J. & P. Coats (top right and bottom left) and Clark & Cos. Machine Cotton, two companies that merged into Coats & Clark, one of the premier notions companies around.

And then there's the Corticelli spool in the centre. I can't find anything about Corticelli the company (as in, I don't think it exists anymore), but did find this wonderful book - Corticelli Home Needlework - from 1898.




I've been looking for vintage needlework patterns and designs, so this book couldn't have come along at a better time.

And because I'm having issues finding anything about the company, besides photos of their threads and some patterns, I have no idea what this tool is for. Tatting? Wrapping? Decoration? Not a hot clue... my mom thinks it has something to do with tatting, but searching on Google Images turned up nothing. It's just over 2 3/4" long, tapered and more brassy than gold. It's also slightly flexible, but not bendable. If you've got an idea of what it is, please let me know.

And then there's the 45 adapters. I have no 45s. I don't even have a record player. But I'm keeping them, if only to show to Maddy one day so she can tell me that I'm full of it and people never used wax/plastic disks to to listen to music. Although, she could turn out like me and be a big fan of music on LP/EPs... but that's highly doubtful as we don't have a record player, but I'm sure my parents' are saving theirs - that still works! - for just that reason.

I'm going to try to get this box organized, along with everything else, for what I'm hoping will be an insanely busy 6-8 weeks. I've got plans and ideas for the craft sales coming up, and the Christmas shopping season unofficially begins in July... still no sales in my shop, but I'm keeping positive about it. There's no point in wallowing in negativity when it's more draining than working at being a success... at least that's what I'm telling myself.