I recently inherited my nan's sewing box as she has moved into a care home. It's a beautiful time capsule of sewing projects unfinished, spare buttons of clothes long gone, cottons to match costumes for amateur dramatic productions, chocolate wrappers from crafting snacks and Scout badges that never got sewn on to my dad's uniform.
It took some sorting out as it really was a beautiful chaos of bits just left from whenever she last used it! It felt very personal to me, like looking through someone else's handbag and very emotional. But I feel grateful that I can not only treasure these bits and look after them but also use some of it too and keep the craft magic alive.
I knew that she had sewn a bit and could knit, (she knitted me the most fabulous forever friends jumper when I was 8) but I didn't realise to what extent she had made things. I've found lots of bits from costumes, sewing patterns of costumes she made and head bands made into tiaras from bits of brooches- She was making for theatre just I do now.
Perhaps crafting is more in my blood than I knew!!
Some of the packaging of the notions is mind blowingly beautiful, they definitely don't make packaging like this anymore. and what is even more crazy is that all of this is still usable, haberdashery pieces don't really age do they!
The box itself is beautiful on its own, complete with pink fringe inside and a pleated silky interior.
My nan and grandad were serial reusers of packaging, if a tin could be kept and have something inside it, it did! So this tin for cigarettes is unsurprisingly filled with bits and pieces. This is the most magical piece for me, just a tin filled with bits of thread and sequins no longer needed for their original intention, so kept like a little pocket of stars!
This pin cushion is my fave, I remember it vaguely from my childhood, I have a little silk box that matches it. I hope it likes it's new home in my craft room.
I will treasure all of these pieces, I hope that my future grandchildren open my sewing box with as much joy and love. I hope they find the same chaos inside and some of these same pieces.
But I also hope they know how crafty I was and can see all of the things I've made with my magical sewing box.