The Washerwoman

Thursday 5 March 2009

The contents of a wonderful sewing box.......


Last week I attended an auction and managed to be the lucky high bidder on 6 (yes six...) boxes of old sewing items.

A rather poignant selection of old knitting patterns, threads, trimmings, Crinoline lady shaped needle cases.... A lot of the items still in their lovely old paper bags with names of mostly long-gone local Somerset shops and departmental stores.

Also a fabulous old Deans toy catalogue....

What wonderful dolls....

Stitchcraft magazines from the 1930's to the 1950's, along with funky scraps of what appeared to be decorated shower-curtain plastic fabric. After further delving in the boxes I discovered templates to make plastic capes, the sort designed to protect your clothes when you were washing your hair!

These wonderful magazines advertising Baxters Felt makers, along with piles of old felt scraps....
A lot of these items will be coming with me to the Stroud International Textiles Rag Market on Saturday 14th March. This is being held at The Old Town Hall in the centre of Stroud, postcode GL5 1AP, go to multimap and it will show you the exact location.
The fair is open from 10 am to 4 pm. Entrance 50p

Hope to see you there!

PS Just to let you know my Internet problems have come to a head & I will probably be off line for the next week. Be back on Friday 13th for the house name draw!

10 comments:

Redwoodhouse said...

What a fabulous auction lot, so pleased you mentioned about Stroud one I don't want to miss, the last one was cancelled so I am looking forward to this one.
Might see you there....
Jan

Sal said...

Lucky you,winning the auction.
I like the look of the crinoline ladies..I might try and make some..(she says as if she does not have eneough to do!!) ;-)

BusyLizzie said...

Hi Jan
Hope you make it to Stroud, it should be good.
Have fun with the Crinoline ladies Sal, there might even be a pattern amongst all the boxes of stuff.. I haven't quite finished sorting it all yet!
Lizzie x

Clare said...

Hi I think we've met before at the Bath vintage fair..what a lovely purchase!I buy felts from baxters in London for my millinery so it was lovely to see the old ads for them!
Clare

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Thank you for leaving a comment on my new blog. Not sure if our paths have crossed before. When I was at Ashley Hall Fair Donna pointed out your stall to me. That was when I was close to leaving. I went to your stall a couple of times but you were busy serving and the next time chatting with someone. I'll stop for a chat next time I see you at a fair. I admired your purple velvet flours in a bag , do you still have theem or did you sell them? I wish I had bought them...
Isabelle x

BusyLizzie said...

Hi Clare
I do remember meeting you at Bath & I see you are doing the V&H fair in May.

Not sure if I still have the purple flowers Isabelle, I will see if they are in the boxes that came back from Bath.....

Lizzie x

Country Cottage Chic said...

I do love old sewing things! I can't make it to Stroud as I'm going on a jaunt to London with my daughter!

Lois said...

A wonderful haul! I love old sewing nick-nacks, the patterns are brilliant! I hope you sort the internet out soon, take care, Lois x

SweetScarlett said...

Oooooh! Such a lovely lot!
You are so lucky to have won them.
Old sewing things are so difficult to find!
I hope to see you at the fair if we can make it there.
Please let me know how to locate you!
xxx
Maggie

Redwoodhouse said...

...thanks for the clarification on the fair Lizzie, yes I did realise that it is the rag fair, I went to one at ohhhh can't remember the name of the place a cute little village hall the other side of Stroud and it was lovely I am thinking it may be similar to that. Hope so anyway... I am definately coming to have a look not that I can ever just look. I am having a stall at Cirencester tomorrow at the Corn Hall it has been very quiet the last 2 weeks but as the hall is finished and the shops up the corridor finished it is hoped it may improve.. I'll give it a go for a couple of months anyway, I love Cirencester I don't need much of an excuse to go there.....my goodness I have ranbled on haven't I...See you Saturday if you are there....
Jan