Vintage Motherlode! ...from Postman Pat.

 

My postman loves me. Yes, he does.

I shop on Ebay and so.... he is assured a secure job until his retiermient :-)

(Recession me arse!  Stick with me - all will be well)

I love my postman too. He brings me goodies on a regular basis. It feels like he is bringing me pressies and I am gushingly grateful to him every time. We have a great relationship ...me and my postman (he brings bills too but they are for Paul).

He only ever sees me in my pj's with bad bed head hair...you know the style? (Yeah, the one that looks like a gorilla broke into your bedroom at night and swung you around in circles for a while. That one. Interesting to say the least.)

But my postman? Does he care? Not a bit. He loves me. I love him. Simple.

Postman Pat.

 Yup, his name is Pat. (But sure this is Ireland and most men are called Pat or a variation of same)

I'm a woman and I'm nearly called Pat meself...if it wasn't for the M at the end of Pa...I'd be Pat wouldn't I?.

 Even some Americans of my aquaintence (you know who you are!) are named Pat, Patrick, Padraig Padhraic, Phairic or Paddy. Great ol' name. Gotta love it.

Anyway, I digress. Postman Pat brought me a treasure trove of vintage sewing notions this morning...all contained in a fab vintage tin from the 40's.

MOTHERLODE!

I bought a vintage tin on Ebay 'cos I am in my vintage tin phase.

 

Gorgeous tin. Sweetpeas flowers raised on lid and the word "Workbasket" engraved on it. Lovely.

I love it and I have not even opened it yet.

No one bid against me and so...£6 on Ebay? Good value? YES, Love it already!

 I knew it contained some sewing notions but I had fallen for the tin and the notions were to be  a bonus.

Rusted clasp...very hard to open....

 

I love rust I must say. Wouldn't you love to be the one to prise open this rusty clasp to reveal what lies behind?

BONUS! Yeah. yup, yes, it was burstin' with treasure from 1930/40's - gillions of them.

 

 

This tin was a toffee tin by Blue Bird Toffee and it has a lovely graphic of a little boy inside the lid. Some lady kept all her sewing notions in this for decades. It contained EVERYTHING  one could want.

Close ups of the precious items.

 

Mending yarn? Love it! Here is a small sample of the 19 cards!

 

 

St George Pansy Quality Bias Binding? I have been looking for this for years!

 

Knitter's ribbon? Never heard of it - did you? I'm a knitter. I did not know I needed ribbon. But now I have some.

 

Wooden Spools? Love 'em. Here are a FEW of them.

 Like vintage buttons? yes? Here is a SAMPLE of my new collection.

Below: is a pack of hooks and eyes...labelled "War Tme Pack- Extra Japanned Finish" Lovin' heart!.... 

 

 Above: Sounds brave and durable. Let's look at the other side...

It says "By appointment to her majesty  - The Queen & Queen Mary"

 

I just knit a cardi for myself and I need a hook and eye and I will be using one of Queen Mary's for it. (Well, if it is good enough for Queen Mary it is good enough or this lol' ol' rock chick!)

Do you need to repair your HOSE?  ....or need to make your mark with some 60 year old tailor's chalk? Here it is ...I got it. 

 

BELOW:

What is this?

Well, it is a close up of a pin cushion. Hmmm. But some wonderful lady many years ago went to the trouble of handmaking this. Crosstitch? knitted? Woven/ tapestry?  I don't know. But I do know that it will be given a new lease of life by me - as I will stick it with my pins and USE it. She made it to be used and so it will be.  Neat, careful, perfect work for a simple pincushion. It has been in an attic for many decades and now it gets its time in the sun.

 

Love this piece of vintage sewing notions....

 

Above: When did you last darn your silk hosiery? Well, next time...if you need shade 30? ....I'm yer' man...erh...I mean woman.

KIMME!!  Stop, desist, don't do it anymore.... I have found the darning mushroom of my dreams - so you are off the hook (She was looking all over Germany for one of these for me)

Vintage darning mushroom. Mine ...all mine...and found in the magic box of goodies...here it is ... I will use this. I have just started to knit socks and having spent hours knitting these I don't intend to throw them out just because they have developed a little hole at heel.

 

So - what was the most amazing item in the box?

These were..... Old crochet hooks. So tiny  - they are for mending silk stockings. How tiny do they have to be? I have included a normal ballpoint pen to give you an idea of scale.

 

 

Here is a pic of a the tip of the ball point pen for comparrison...

 

In this day and age...would you have the patience to repair your hose with this tiny instrument?

Well I hope you enjoyed the tour of my new old tin. I had a miniature china cabinet and made a display of these items. Love it.

With the doors open

 

and with the doors closed.

 

Finally...need a laugh? click on youtube  link below so.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcPMKD8GFkI

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Tracey]

Theres no wonder you're excited.....that's fantastic! I wouldn't be able to see the crochet hook let alone use it!!! xxxxxxxx

[angie lee]

Now Pam , are ye ever goin to mend yer hose??? in fact have ye got a hose??? life is to short i,ll buy ye a new hose ![if ye ever want one, or will ever use one] haha that what your getting for christmas from me, a hose with not a hole in sight lol love you Angie xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[sharie]

Now that is one fabby ebay bargain!! I'd ahve bought it for the tin too but all those notions are brilliant and I bet it was like christmas going through it all.

[Lorraine]

Oh Pam, you have got yourself a wondeful box of treasures there!

I won a lovely sewing box on ebay once, which was full of lovely treasures - only problem was it never arrived as the seller sent it to the wrong person and he refused to resend it on :-(

Love the video - sent the link to hubby!

[Catherine]

My giddy aunt, what an astonishing box of stuff. Were you actually hyperventilating?! You beat me - you win the Highest Number of Exclamation Marks in a blog post this week, and I thought my latest was full of 'em!
I'm quite jealous of that box, don't you know.
x x x
Catherine

[AnyoneCanQuilt]

It really IS a magic box of goodies!!!! I love every bit of it. And your description of a gorilla swinging you around in circles made me laugh out loud. I love visiting your blog. x

[Amy]

Thanks for the visit at my blog! I am having fun getting to know your blog. I like how you write!! I too get a real tickle out of vintage sewing notions, especially wooden spools and fun brand names and such! I love the bikes in one of your previous posts.
Amy

[kimme]

Look at all those goodies!!! Love the blue mushroom. I never
did find one, btw. I will mark that off my list.... I am still on the
hunt for the tins and pins :)

I am green with envy over all those great treasures :)

hugs~kimme

[Penny]

Oh No ...now I've found your Blog I'm going to get even less done. I'm not a sewer but trying to be crafty ...those things are GR8 & I like how you've displayed therm.

[lajoni]

Sheeeesh thats a brilliant haul of goodies...I swear those crochet hooks are identical to what is in my home highlight kits....really I kid you not...will have to take a piccie for you....loved the vid have put it on my Facebook page xxx