Thursday 7 April 2016

Treasures from bygone days


I had a whistlestop visit to Portsmouth this week to visit my 98 year old auntie. She recently went into a home and her house needs sorting. It's full to bursting, packed with all kinds of things. Loads of junk and things that should have been discarded long ago, but also some rather special and lovely things. Looking in a cupboard, I spotted some reels of cotton, and when I delved deeper, I unearthed a whole load of sewing bits and bobs. There wasn't time to go through everything, so I had a quick rummage and selected one or two things to come back home with me. 

I actually squealed when I found this beautiful button card. The buttons are still so bright and colourful and have such a sparkle to them. I'd quite like to frame it and hang it on the wall of my craft room.


treasures from bygone days (1) 
treasures from bygone days (3)


There was also a complete card of tortoiseshell buttons. I don't think I'll ever use them, it seems a shame to  spoil the card!


treasures from bygone days (4)


I pounced upon a pair of wooden darning mushrooms. They may well have been used to darn my great uncle's socks during the First World War. There is something so tactile about wood, the modern day equivalents hold no attraction for me!


treasures from bygone days (5)


A little cardboard box revealed a great many books of needles. These were some of my favourites. And do you know, they are in perfect condition! Not a speck of rust or tarnishing on them. Incredible. It's like they were bought yesterday!


treasures from bygone days (6)


Tucked away at the bottom of a wooden box was a small leather case. When I opened it up, I found thimbles, a variety of pins and needles and two cylindrical cases - one for needles and the other for pins. It is really charming and I would love to know more about it. Perhaps next time I visit my auntie, I'll take it and talk to her about it.


treasures from bygone days (7)

treasures from bygone days (8)

treasures from bygone days (9)

treasures from bygone days (10)


A few wooden reels of cotton completed my haul. There are hundreds of them there, every colour you can imagine! I wonder what treasures you have passed down in your family? xxx


treasures from bygone days (12)

6 comments:

Cherie said...

What special finds! Lovely things to represent your Auntie!

busybusybeejay said...

Wonderful.What a treasure trove.I hope your Auntie has recorded some things from when she was younger.Was she a dressmaker?

Claire said...

What a lovely find. Your aunt must have such a treasure trove of stories to tell as well about her long life.

snoopydogknits said...

What lovely, lovely things! Craftiness obviously runs in your family! :-) x

Una said...

I have a lovely wooden sewing box that I bought at a boot fair. The stall holder said her mother would have been pleased that I had bought it. Sadly I don't think my daughter will be interested in any of the sewing and knitting things that she might inherit from me. She just isn't into crafts. I expect they might end up back in a boot fair.

VeggieMummy said...

What beautiful finds - treasure indeed. I love that the darning mushrooms may have been used to darn your uncles socks during the war - I wonder if the small sewing kit may have seen some action too? Those buttons will look beautiful framed - you must post a picture if you get them done. Have a great weekend. xx