precious treasure

I felt like Amelie Poulain when my friend gave me this box on wednesday, what was going to be inside? The most delightful treasure, like a window looking back on my friends childhood I was transported back to her first sewing class, she was 10 again and stitching her green needle case catching buses home from school and making dresses for her dolls.

I loved the tin, it depicts the most beautiful snowy scene and evokes so much joy. I found it difficult recently standing in all the ice and snow we've had in trousers let alone the crinoline dresses the ladies are wearing.

Oh what a discovery! Fabric (pale blue), instructions from a doll's dress pattern. A pre-printed fabric doily ready to be stitched, lace ends, two balls of wool (pink and turquoise).


Carefully unpacking the sewing box I discovered that it had been carefully lined, such painstaking care had been taken. It was delightful, all the little bits and pieces from unfinished projects. Odd end of embroidery threads, the smallest piece of red ribbon... could it be a sash for a dolls dress?

Pins, needles, buttons (four, unmatching), beads (two, yellow), a fantastic vintage tape measure in a gorgeous retractable red case (once brand new), pencil (still sharp), dress poppers, reel of elastic, half a reel of blue thread and three thimbles (all decreasing in size).

I have been imagining all of the possible projects that could have been made with this sewing kit, perhaps I could have a go at finishing some of them, or be inspired by the potential that's still waiting to be used.