Vintage Sewing Notions

I have enjoyed sewing of all kinds over the years. Many of my family and friends have given me some beautiful vintage sewing notions at times when they no longer wanted them, and some have come to me by way of when family members have passed on. I have my grandmothers old thimble, darning needle and a pair of scissors that come apart by a hinge clasp. My mother-in-law's mother's old tatting shuttles are especially meaningful to me. I decided to put some of the things together in a shadowbox collection. It is hung on a wall where everyone can enjoy looking at them. Always include a little plastic sleeve on the back of family pictures and collections such as this, to put a slip of paper in recording who the items belonged to, how you came to get them, and always try to put names and dates of the items or people on the paper if you can. You never know where these items will end up when you are gone. This makes the pieces much more valuable when there is a trace system on them. Don't be afraid to use the items when you can. I received a jar of buttons from a relative once, and inside among all those old buttons were three that had at one time hung on the uniform of a Civil War soldier; and quite possibly it may have been one of our distant relatives. Others enjoy hearing the history behind the pieces, and some younger people who are learning the art of sewing may never have seen some of the unique pieces. They are truly historical pieces!