Last of the 2014 Junk

 2014 was a stormy year in many ways but the junking was good and, as always, an island of relaxation to swim to.  I stopped at The Super Skanky Thrift on New Year's Eve and scored a big poke sack of sewing stuff.  When I got back to the office a tin of buttons I treated myself to from eBay had been delivered.  I would be spending New Year's Eve digging for buried treasures!

 The fun of a poke sack is you never know what will turn up in the tangled mess.  One of these patterns is 1953 and the other is 1949 and both are complete.

 Clearly what I call a "real" button box, including all the non-button this and that.  I ended up pulling 6 thimbles out of here, among other things.

 I have not seen a sewing tape like this before.  Does anyone know the purpose of the attached triangle??

 I didn't see these coming!  Sugar cubes, toothpicks and matches, perhaps souvenirs of Miss Howard's career.

 Hmm...  this looks interesting...  These were in the sewing sack, NOT the button tin.

 Yarn winders and a tiny floral tin.  I'm so easy. 8+)

 A vintage box of Brother sewing machine accessories.  Unfortunately I can't find any information about what model they go with but it appears to be a very complete and little-used set.

 I am tempted to keep the tiny oil can.  The spout is in one of the paper bags.  It is so complete, though, that I won't break it up and will list it and see if someone recognizes and needs it. There is even a replacement light bulb.

And now, about those buttons.  All are vintage except the three that are center left.  They were interesting so I included them in the photo.  Be sure you click this picture bigger because this was a great Bakelite and celluloid score and proof there is treasure in those poke sacks.  Most of these were in the sewing sack, NOT the button tin!  Thank you, Miss Howard.  Apparently you didn't actually use your sewing machine very much but you knew to save the buttons!

Weekend Picks - Part Two

 The VOA yielded a big poke sack score on Sunday.  Let's take a closer look at some of the goodies.

 Buttons - of course!

 BIG pile of DMC floss that is already listed in my Etsy shop.

 Vintage lingerie notions.  If you are of a certain age I am sure you will recal how UNCOMFORTABLE these were.  Yes, Virginia, there was a time when there were no pantyhose!

 Sweet pink sewing box.

 Crochet forks in three sizes for making hairpin lace - a nearly lost art.  I briefly entertained the notion that I might give it a go, until I Googled how to do it.  I got over the notion pretty quick and listed them in my Etsy store.  Please, someone, keep this art form alive!

 Floral wallpaper border for making tags.

 This is a c.1936 picture puzzle that is stamped with the name "The Guardian Angel".  The box was clearly used for more than one puzzle since it says 300-500 pieces and the picture is glued, not printed, on the front of the box.

 Notice how the pieces are much thicker than modern puzzles and they don't interlock.  It is poured out on the kitchen table right now so we can put it together and see if all the pieces are there.  It is proving to be a challenge since everything except the focal image is VERY dark.

 An assortment of interesting little sewing kits.  The yellow one holds a needle threader and thread and that little red button on the side works the built-in scissor on one end.  The green matchbook is a hosery repair kit.

 The red kit opens up to reveal a very unusual assortment of threads.  Instead of tiny spools or thread wrapped on little tags, it is a woven piece where you pull out the thread color you need.

 This was my very favorite find and addition to my recently-admitted needle book collection.  A WWI needle book. I wish I would have gotten this posted for Veterans Day!

 The inside is complete and appears unused.

I find the back side pretty ironic.  We were at war with Germany and the needle book was made in Germany.  Buying it was certainly a questionable contribution to the war effort and surprising that it was even available!

Okay, I Admit It

I have been in denial about collecting needles.  I keep saying I don't collect them, I just accumulate them from the poke sacks.  Well, I did go to the nice, cool, antique mall on Sunday and I did buy a poke sack.  I bought it because this needle card and those five buttons were inside.  There, I said it.  Poke Sack Kathy collects needle cards.  But can you blame me??  I have never seen this one before and it is so appropriate to find it during the Olympics!

Just Call Me Poke Sack Kathy

 Last weekend I vowed that I would not buy any more junk until I finished sorting and listing that huge pile of raw junk I told you about in this post.  Well.  I caved in to the siren song of the VOA.  It only took a quick trip and I spotted these three poke sacks and 3 blingy rhinestone broaches.  This time I will try to redeem myself by not leaving you to wonder about the pig pile so here we go...

A few of the carded buttons and sets the sacks yielded.  Can you even believe the brand on those copper buttons??  Oh yes, times have changed and for the better.

 The rhinestone circle is a buckle.  A large plastic with a MOP center.  Two vintage clips and some handmade fabric buttons.

 I have never seen anything quite like these two.  They appear to be hand-beaded over crochet.  The rhinestones are prong-set so I'm not sure how they are attached.  Someone definitely put some work into making them!

 Here are the three rhinestone broaches I bought.  BIG and no missing stones.  The rhinestones in the clear one show some tarnish so it is my favorite.

 These are my favorites from the plastics.  Those gold buttons in the center are interesting.  I think they are supposed to look like gold nuggets.

 This is the back side of the two buttons at the top of the picture.  It is actually more of a frog closure.

 My favorites, the glass buttons, of course!  That little green button is the first glass realistic I have ever found.

 These are extra special.  Not only do they have copper looking sparkle in the glass but they are also whistles!  If you don't know what whistles are, look at the center button.  Whistles have one hole on the front and two on the back.  Love these!

 Okay, if you managed to stick with me all the way to the end then here is my latest thing to wonder about...  Does anyone have an idea what that kind of webbing or those pins are used for??
Now I'm back to sorting and listing that raw junk.  Did I mention I bought 31 vintage sewing patterns?  Good grief.

Christmas Shopping Side Trip

 I didn't mean to do it.  I spent the morning Christmas shopping with The Husband and I am nearly finished.  I wrapped last night until I ran out of paper so I dropped him off at home and headed to the Dollar Tree for more paper...

 ... which just happens to be right next door to the VOA.  And I hadn't used my  60% off secret phrase yet.  What could I do?

And happy was I to find three poke sacks and three apothecary jars and one tiny old watering can.  Oh oh, this is my third watering can.  I dumped out the poke sacks and haven't sorted them yet but I already spotted a couple black glass buttons and some really neat green oval shapes.  Now I am off to FINISH the wrapping and my reward will be the poking!

Rescue Me - Take Me In Your Arms

I had a few comments about this photo on my Where Bloggers Create III post so I thought I would share the inspiration for it.  I actually sent a picture and little story to Somerset Studio a LONG time ago but never heard a word.  I didn't submit the actual artwork and I think what they say is true - the artwork often sells the article.  I made this piece right after a trip to the thrift store that yielded a particularly intriguing poke sack.
My affinity for "poke boxes" goes back as long as I can remember. Poke sacks, poke boxes, poke bags, bags o' unknown crap, call them what you will... I CANNOT resist one. All I need to see is one tiny trinket that catches my eye and it's all over. I have to find out what else is in there! Mysterious loveliness.  A tangled and intriguing mess just waiting for me to sort and smooth and ooh and aah as I bring order to the chaos and respect to the possibilities.

I won't bore you by cataloging everything that came home with me that day but it included many bundles and spools of acetate ribbon, the kind used for floral work; many, many colors and widths of satin ribbon; lace, both old and older; colorful rick-rack and braid trims; seam binding; some thread and a thimble; salvaged and new zippers, many sizes and types of elastic and a large spool of pink curling ribbon.  Plus a vintage piece of ephemera offering an apron pattern for 25 cents and a faded and stained piece of red satin blanket binding with a note pinned to it that said “Barbie blouse”.

I have heard it said that you should bring nothing into your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. I try. Really I do. But some things cry out in a way that is almost audible - RESCUE ME!
Through the years I think I've seen just about everything at the thrift store, from bronzed baby shoes to a burial urn. Yes, really. A burial urn. As I was unscrewing the lid my brain was processing that I was UNSCREWING the lid and I realized what I was opening at about the same moment that I peeked inside. Lucky for me there was no occupant but the metal toe tag at the bottom confirmed my conclusion and sent me and the urn straight to the front counter to suggest this might not be appropriate.  I really have seen it all, cradle to grave so to speak.
My favorite rescues are the bags, boxes and tins of buttons and sewing notions. As I poke through them I begin to get an impression of the former owner. You can tell a lot about a woman from her sewing box. Many utilitarian buttons, removed from the garments and saved for mending, punctuated by random glass or rhinestone buttons saved from a few "special" dresses or a good winter coat. Uniform buttons strung together on a piece of darning thread, perhaps all that is left of a loved one's uniform. A few marbles and bullets (yes, I have found bullets) retrieved from pockets on the way to the washer because boys will be boys and so will men. A precious baby tooth.  A felt needle case with "MOM" crudely embroidered on the front, surely a gift from a young daughter. A thimble stamped with S&H for the green stamps. Hand-tatted lace cut from the edge of a worn out pillowcase so it could be re-purposed as trim for a baby dress. Orphaned earrings. A bra extender because she put on a little weight over the years. Yes, you can tell a lot about a woman from her sewing box.

It tugs at my heart when I find these poke boxes in the thrift store. Someone, somewhere, picked up a box or a bag and up-ended the drawers of the sewing cabinet to "get rid of all that junk". Big sigh. It makes my heart glad to rescue them and respect that they are the artifacts of a creative life.

Pick a Pile O' Poke Sacks

Say THAT three times fast!  I did a little junking while my MIL was here.  No big "scores" but I did pick up a pile of poke sacks and you know how I love those.  I even got a couple little sacks of buttons, better yet.

 They were filled with vintage sewing notions and those are my favorite.  There is just something about them that makes me feel "connected" to the creative spirit of another generation, to know those women from another time had the same need to make something.  It makes us all one.

 Old velvet ribbons and trims and an old silver-plated sugar bowl that might become a sugarcushion experiment.  It is pretty, hmm...  rustic.  Yes, that's a good word...

 A set of sweet little hors d'oeuvre forks in their original box. I'm sure glad that word was on the box.

 A Christmas Angel Band, also in the original box.  Someday I will accumulate enough little angels to replace the strange characters on my big wooden Christmas candle chime.  A pack of pinochle cards with birdies on them.

 Elastic button thread - who knew??  Sounds like a great idea so I wonder what became of it.

A few pretty glass buttons and my first EVER rolls of vintage rayon seam binding.  Love that stuff but have only found the small packages until now.  The "good" stuff!  Digging through a poke sack is just like opening up a treasure box - you just never know what you will find inside!