" SEW (long ago) "

"SEW (long ago)"

An altered book containing a collection of vintage sewing notions.

The following photos of altered pages end with an explanation of the book and what is on each page.

Inside back of book cover contains notions and salesmen samples of buttons.

Needles and Snaps.

Zipper, Sewing Machine ad, and Baby Buttons.

Thread, Measuring Tape, and Advertising.

Buttons, Hooks, Eyes, Cross-Stitch.

Buttons, Snaps, and Binding.

Fabric Swatches, labeled.

Quilting, Thread, Buttons, and Needles.

Buttons, Needles, and Measuring Tape.

Men's Shirt Buttons and Patterns.

Vintage Assorted Needle Packet and Advertising.

Inside Front Cover has Salesmen Sample Card of Buttons.

The great majority of these vintage sewing notions, buttons, and various advertising samples belonged to my maternal grandmother and were passed down to me.  A few I have added over the years when I found them in antiques stores and couldn't resist including them in my collection.  Back in the day, advertising graphics were (at least to me) miniature works of art.  Their colorful illustrations really caught the eye, which is why I believe many of them have survived.  They were just too pretty to toss out.

This altered book is about 11" x 8" and considering all the 3-D items I have included in it, unable to close completely.  Nevertheless, I like having this sewing collection from long ago all in one place and not simply loose in a sewing basket, as it was before. 

The cover was my favorite part to create - it almost always turns out that way.  I saved the best for the cover and it includes an old pair of embroidery scissors, an antique bobbin with thread, a needle threader, tape measure, two cards of vintage buttons, very old snaps still attached to binding, thread, ribbon, cross-stitch, and several pieces of old lace and rick-rack.  Small and not seen very well is a ribbon bookmark with a thread card and a miniature silver thimble hanging from it.  The book also has tabs on each page - these are marked with the various sewing vocabulary.

*Click on any of the photos once or twice to enlarge and see them better.