I’ve become the keeper of my partner’s grandmother’s sewing box. Mimi died several years ago, and I never really knew her. I feel like I can kind of get to know her now, though. A little bit, through the stuff in her sewing box.
In it are a few pairs of scissors, countless sewing needles and safety pins (many with dry-cleaning tags still attached), more iron-on patches than I’ll ever use (but I can already think of some applications), and lots of thread. Lots and lots of thread.
In addition to around ten plastic spools, there are a couple dozen wooden spools of thread. I don’t know much more than that they’re old – some stamped with a cost of 19¢.
Do you know anything about the history of thread? I’d love to learn more about when she may have purchased some of these. Leave a comment, or make a note on the photos on Flickr. I’d very much appreciate any help you can give!
And don’t worry, I’ll use the thread. Though some of the spools have certainly remained nearly unused for decades, I get the impression from the rest of the contents of the box that Mimi was practical about mending.
I could be totally wrong. But that’s okay. It would be a shame for items of such practical beauty to sit unused.
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