Posted by lizzymahoney on 2004-07-24 20:21:05
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Best bet is to make your own. Buy a sewing box if you wish. There are pretty and sturdy wooden ones with cushioned tops and maybe a few dividers inside.
If you buy the prepackaged bits of thread and needles and scissors, thimble, tape measure, and a few odd buttons, the quality is usually not there and the variety is not tailored to your needs. They may also work out to be more expensive in the long run. Probably fine if you are just needing a quick kit to keep in your desk at work or something, though.
Decide what you want or need and then buy each thing separately. For instance, although I like and own several traditional thimbles, I never use them. I have used my leather thimble on occasion. I like a retractable tape measure. Glass head pins. Prefer Gutermann threads. Gingher scissors. And I would never be without stitch witchery. You may have other ideas.
If you sew very little and by hand, you'll want needles, thread and scissors. The rest is a matter of choice.
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2006-03-25 08:25:28
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Things I've purchased in lots on eBay or at brick and mortar auctions or garage/thrift sales: buttons, paper, jewelry, clothing, sewing box contents, cans of screws or bolts or nails, beer making supplies, material!, books and magazines, clothing, rocks, ribbon, knitting needles and crochet hooks, macrame yarns, cooking utensils, gardening supplies, doorknobs, casters, old photos and postcards, lamp parts, baby items, fishing junk, aquarium supplies, candlesticks, candles, bells, and probably many more things. It helps to keep similar things together, like scrap fabrics separated from yardage, yardage separated by general types, and sewing patterns for general sizes.
If you do this at a garage sale, you do have to watch that people don't tuck valuable things in the box lots. An auction book I've read mentions the migration of desirable things from one box to another and another and another as a common problem. And I've had people rip me off at garage sales by buying three t-shirts and one evening dress for the price of the t-shirts.
Posted by microsinger on 2005-10-17 13:33:32
Post Subject: Mom Seeks Crafty Blessing/Karma for Blossoming Craftista
My soon-to-be-fifteen year old daughter has recently gotten crafty. She is sewing her own halloween costume, crocheting handbags and scarves, and has decided she wants to be a fashion designer that designs clothes for women with real bodies (she's a size 11). I am going to buy her a used dressmaker's dummy for xmas and set her up with her own sewing box and fill it with tools and notions to get her started. This is where the women of this community come in.
I am a little goofy about my sewing box. My mother in law (now deceased) gave it to me when I was a young mother. After she died, I was given some notions that were in her sewing room; little strips that she had embellished with beading, ribbon, a few spools of thread. There's also a thimble from a close friend, some buttons from my some of my mom's projects, lace from my wedding dress. I have used some of these things but I like the idea of having them in there because I feel like there is a creative energy that has flown through all of us and I like the idea of having a part of these women 'around' for my projects. I would love for her to receive some tiny token and a word of inspiration from some of you. Please understand, I am not begging for handouts. I can go out and buy these things and will buy the basic stock. But if you'd like to send a couple of buttons, beads, stick pins, length of ribbon, fabric, anything and note to encourage her to be her wonderful craftista self, I think that would be the coolest thing ever! I'd like to wrap the envelopes and let her open them one at a time. A button from Seattle, ribbon from L.A, zipper from NY.....she'd have a cow. As a measure of good faith, I'd be willing to send a few blank embossed notecards as a thank you for any who participate.
Please let me know if you'd like to help out. Thanks so much!!
Edited to add: In case you might be curious, Sara will be 15 in March. She has been a vegetarian for two years, loves Disturbed, The Ramones, The Rolling STones, the Beatles, and the Sex Pistols. She plays guitar and bass. At one dance she wore a vinyl dress with combat boots and for another she wore an adorable vintage style dress with a bouffant hairdo and mary janes. My proudest moment was when at age ten, she petitioned the city council not to replace "Smoky the Bear", a poor, deceased animal cooped up in a cage in our city park. She spoke in front of a room full of people, including cameras and reporters. They did not replace the bear.
Posted by microsinger on 2005-10-13 10:14:59
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For my sweetie I am planning a fish themed bulletin board (he is a fish biologist). I have a rustic frame that has been collecting dust (25 cent yard sale find) that I will use to frame the fabric covered board and I plan to use twine to criss cross over it instead of ribbon. I may stick a few lures in there for show. He will also get a crocheted cap and a few other office related crafty things.
My 12 year old daughter has requested an afghan and I would also like to make her a cool hanging lamp. Something funky and 'hippie'. ANy ideas are appreciated.
My 14 year old daughter has 'gotten crafty' so I am on the lookout for a dressmaker's dummy for her. I am also planning to buy her a sewing box and fill it with notions. She will also get yarn and fabric. I'd love to hear ideas of things to put in her sewing box. She wants to be a fashion designer and although she has a rock star idea of fashion for herself she says she wants to design clothes for women with 'real bodies." YEAH!!!!
I will give canned bbq sauce and dinner/breakfast kits in a jar to friends and neighbors
Posted by Athos on 2005-01-03 14:27:15
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i keep my yarn and fabric in large clear tubs from ikea. stationery, finished projects, spa stuff, and the like are all in train cases. mostly refinished train cases. small sewing notions are in a clear organizer with lots of little compartments. craft paper is hung on the wall with binder clips and hooks, smaller pieces are filed in an accordian file or stacked in the bottom drawer in my filing cabinet.
ink and small paper notions, as well as random stuff for projects are all in my refinished ikea small drawers (which i think i posted in my blog).
in my old house, i used my old dresser for craft stuff, but because it was solid wood, it actually didn't hold very much. i want to get a sewing box. actually, i was thinking about designing one and making it myself, though it might be too much work.
Posted by girlsavage on 2005-10-18 10:36:18
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What a wonderful idea! I too have the love for my sewing box and things in it that belonged to grandma, mom, old friends and neighbors.
PM me with your address and I would be so happy to see what I can find to send for her!
Posted by lil_cleo on 2005-10-21 16:04:41
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That sounds like a great idea, I have my mom's sewing box and she has things that were passed down to her like my grandmother's apron from when she was a little girl. I love having it because I can always remember the both of them whenever I open it. PM with your address I'd love to send something along.
Posted by HeatherC on 2005-10-20 13:48:08
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My sewing machine came to me from my grandma, and I keep all the little tools for it in my sewing box as my sentimental reminder.
I think this is the BEST Christmas gift I've heard of in a long, long time, and I think your daughter sounds like a fabulous lady. And YOU sound like a fabulous lady! PM your address and I'll send something.
Posted by themom on 2005-06-22 20:37:31
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I was sorting through my old sewing box the other day & I found this thing. Is this what you are looking for?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/themom/6-22-05tomatoes015.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/themom/6-22-05tomatoes014.jpg
Posted by MaryDM on 2008-05-13 17:31:27
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I was sorting through my old sewing box the other day & I found this thing. Is this what you are looking for?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/themom/6-22-05tomatoes015.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/themom/6-22-05tomatoes014.jpg
I know this is an old thread, but if anyone wants the instructions, I still have the original booklet and I could scan it in and post it
Posted by TQClampwork on 2007-03-29 06:24:02
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I was sorting through my old sewing box the other day & I found this thing. Is this what you are looking for?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/themom/6-22-05tomatoes015.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/themom/6-22-05tomatoes014.jpg
Oh I can't believe this :-) I've have one of these in my sewing drawers too! It was passed down from my DH grandmother and no one I've ever shown it to knows what it is either.... & I've not been able to find anything on the internet (tho I"ve no idea what it's called so that may be the problem, lol)
I've often wondered if it had something to do with working with creating lace pieces. I have some beautiful old table cloths - all open work - that have round patterns looking as tho each 'circle' could have been created on something like this curious little gadget......
If you EVER find out (or if I do, lol) we'll have to let each other know!
Posted by Guinness on 2006-01-01 14:50:05
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My mom got me a sewing box so I would stop yanking hers. She got a bunch of little stuff to go in it, I love it.
She also got me the 2 Harry Potter movies I didn't have.
My brother got me Stitch n Bitch Nation, my friend got me The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories, my dad got me a pair of shoes that I'd asked for (b&w checkerboard slip-ons... Haaah).
And the boy got me a dress that didn't fit, but he thought I would look pretty in it. Aw.
